Boy admits filming chair being thrown from top of Westfield

Boy admits filming chair being thrown from top of Westfield

A teenager has admitted to filming a dangerous prank in which another boy threw a chair from the upper level of an East London shopping centre, narrowly missing shoppers below. The incident, which took place at Westfield in Stratford, was recorded and quickly spread online. The youth responsible for capturing the act on camera has pleaded guilty to recklessly causing a public nuisance.

The two boys involved were apprehended following the viral spread of the video, showing the chair plummeting from a height as part of what was described as an internet prank dating back to March last year. The Crown Prosecution Service revealed that the boy who threw the chair had earlier admitted to charges of criminal damage and recklessly causing a public nuisance. He received an eight-month detention and training order as a sentence.

The 15-year-old who filmed the prank admitted his charges during a hearing at Stratford Magistrates’ Court and is scheduled for sentencing on 29 April. The footage depicted the hooded youth throwing a blue chair weighing around 15 kilograms over a glass balustrade, then both boys fleeing the scene while swearing. The video was accompanied by the caption “No way bro almost killed someone,” highlighting the seriousness of the stunt.

Prosecutor Elizabeth Ajayi explained to the court that the chair, valued at £500, was thrown from the top floor, approximately 15 metres above the ground. She said, “One of the boys was seen lifting a blue sofa and throwing it over the glass balustrade all the way down to the lower floor. The video went viral. It’s fortunate that nobody was injured.” Both boys admitted their involvement in police interviews. After the incident, a Westfield security officer reported ongoing unease among shoppers. The boy who threw the chair minimized the act by telling police “it’s not that deep, it did not hit no-one,” and revealed that the pair “regularly indulge” in pranks, including throwing objects at trains from bridges

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