A TEENAGER who found guilty of ‘punching’ a young girl in the face has been jailed for four and a half years.

Kayden Williams, of Don Close in Tilehurst, was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent after a three-day trial at Reading Crown Court last month.

The 19-year-old attacked two teenage girls, aged 15 and 16, on August 4, 2022 in Coronation Square.

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Williams had previously pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous bodily harm and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. 

Prosecuting today (March 24), Charles Ward-Jackson said the case was ‘unusual’ due to being ‘linked’ to a crash that happened on the same day at Pierces Hill, Tilehurst.

Sheldon Lewcock, 19, was involved in a fatal crash with a van and sadly passed away in hospital on August 9. A murder investigation was launched but subsequently dropped and the case is now ‘extremely likely’ to be concluded during an inquest in October.

Mr Ward-Jackson said: “I’ve read about the incident presiding this event of the young man who died – it’s a potentially important aspect of this case.”

The court heard that Williams had cycled to Coronation Square and was then caught on CCTV ‘smashing’ the 15-year-old girl in the face.

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It was ‘assumed’ by prosecution that the 16-year-old girl was hit while trying to protect her friend.

The younger of the two suffered from a fractured eye socket and a broken nose and was in Royal Berkshire Hospital for seven days following the incident.

During the trial, the girl said she still suffers from double vision, tinnitus and trouble breathing.

Defending Williams, Kim Preston said: “This is a really tragic case of events. The regret and remorse he feels and the very clear realisation of the seriousness of what he did really comes across.

“He is a young man who comes from [a family of] strong women. He is deeply ashamed that he would have behaved in the way he did to any female let alone one as young as [the victim].”

Sentencing, Judge Kirsty Real said she had made ‘significant reductions’ due to the ‘exceptional circumstances’ of the case.

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She said: “In my judgement it was a spontaneous and short-lived assault. I hope you can serve this sentence and then move on with you life positively in the future.”

He will be sentenced for four and a half years in a young offenders institute.

Leaving the court, a family member shouted: “Keep your chin up boy.”