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Bank wants £40,000 from protester
Protesters stormed their way into the Royal Bank of Scotland's City branch
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has demanded £40,000 compensation from a 17-year-old girl who admitted attacking a branch during G20 protests in London.
The girl, who cannot be named, admitted burglary and criminal damage when protesters targeted the Threadneedle Street branch of the RBS on 1 April.
Prosecution counsel told West London Youth Court the bank wanted to recover its losses.
The girl, who lives in Brighton, was given an eight-month referral order.
As part of her sentence she may be asked to pay a smaller sum of compensation to the RBS.
RBS have gone for compensation in the sum of £40,000 - in my view, this is wholly unjustified 
Miranda Ching, defence counsel
Prosecutor Ann Crighton said the bank wanted to recover the losses it suffered during the G20 protest, from the teenager.
She said three plate glass windows were broken and several pieces of computer hardware, which cost an estimated £40,000, were stolen.
The court was told the girl was caught smashing computer equipment.
'Other people'
Defence solicitor, Miranda Ching, argued that the girl, who was born in Scotland, was unemployed and lived on hand-outs from friends and family. She had never claimed benefits.
"RBS have gone for compensation in the sum of £40,000. In my view, this is wholly unjustified.
"It may well be that a substantial amount of criminal damage was caused as a whole by other people on 1 April.
"We must look at what my client is charged with and that is IT equipment. That seems to be, at most, one computer keyboard and one computer monitor," she said.
The court also ordered the activist to write a letter of apology and an agreement not to commit further crimes.
Source: BBC NEWS | England | London | Bank wants £40,000 from protester
Protesters stormed their way into the Royal Bank of Scotland's City branchThe Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has demanded £40,000 compensation from a 17-year-old girl who admitted attacking a branch during G20 protests in London.
The girl, who cannot be named, admitted burglary and criminal damage when protesters targeted the Threadneedle Street branch of the RBS on 1 April.
Prosecution counsel told West London Youth Court the bank wanted to recover its losses.
The girl, who lives in Brighton, was given an eight-month referral order.
As part of her sentence she may be asked to pay a smaller sum of compensation to the RBS.
RBS have gone for compensation in the sum of £40,000 - in my view, this is wholly unjustified Miranda Ching, defence counsel
Prosecutor Ann Crighton said the bank wanted to recover the losses it suffered during the G20 protest, from the teenager.
She said three plate glass windows were broken and several pieces of computer hardware, which cost an estimated £40,000, were stolen.
The court was told the girl was caught smashing computer equipment.
'Other people'
Defence solicitor, Miranda Ching, argued that the girl, who was born in Scotland, was unemployed and lived on hand-outs from friends and family. She had never claimed benefits.
"RBS have gone for compensation in the sum of £40,000. In my view, this is wholly unjustified.
"It may well be that a substantial amount of criminal damage was caused as a whole by other people on 1 April.
"We must look at what my client is charged with and that is IT equipment. That seems to be, at most, one computer keyboard and one computer monitor," she said.
The court also ordered the activist to write a letter of apology and an agreement not to commit further crimes.
Source: BBC NEWS | England | London | Bank wants £40,000 from protester
