A YOUTH has been convicted of attacking a pregnant teenager who asked for a cigarette.

Burnley magistrates heard how Christopher Pagani, 19, later pushed the girl's grandmother and went on a wrecking spree, smashing three cars' windows, causing £800-worth of damage.

Pagani, of Glenroy Avenue, Colne, admitted two counts of assault, having an offensive weapon and three charges of criminal damage. He was conditionally bailed until February 23 for pre-sentence reports.

The bench said Pagani must live and sleep at Glenroy Avenue, observe an 8pm to 8am curfew and not approach his victims.

Neil White, prosecuting, told the court Pagani pushed the teenager and knelt on her head. She could not breathe properly or free herself and the defendant punched and bit her and held a knife against her.

Three months later, Pagani was seen by a car owner hitting his vehicle with a table leg with a bolt in it. The man ran outside and told the defendant to put the weapon down. He refused, brandished the table leg and hit a second car.

Pagani carried on, damaging a BMW boot. The car owner was given a chair to defend himself by a man who came out of a restaurant. The defendant ran off and when he was finally stopped by police, he still had the piece of wood in his hand and shouted "come on then" to officers.

He was handcuffed, taken to the police station and replied: "They spiked my drink."

Geoff Ireland, defending, said Pagani acknowledged he may well be facing a custodial sentence.

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