Teenage girl pleads guilty to mugging Katherine Jenkins and snatching her iPhone

A teenager accused of mugging soprano Katherine Jenkins has offered to apologise in person after pleading guilty to charges stemming from the incident.

The 15 year old admitted robbery and assaulting a police officer following the attack in south-west London in early December.

During the hearing at Highbury Magistrates' Court, the teen said she's happy to meet the star to say sorry for what happened, saying: "I could apologise. I know that's not going to make up for what I did."

Jenkins 39, was mugged on Kings Road, in West London, when she is said to have tried to help an elderly woman who was being attacked.

The court heard the young girl thought the singer was filming the incident and charged at her, knocking a drink out of her hand and snatching her phone before fleeing.

The £500 iPhone was later recovered with a cracked screen.

The 15-year-old was handed a six month referral order, meaning she will have to attend sessions with the youth offending team to address her behaviour.

Her mother was also ordered to pay £20 compensation.

District Judge Williams said: "If you were 18 and not 15 and you committed that offence you would be sent to a young offender's institution and locked up for several years.

"It a real shock when you get mugged. It has happened to me and it has happened to this lady. It happens an awful lot in the streets of this city."


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Jenkins was on her way to a memorial concert at St Luke's Church, being attended by Pippa and Carole Middleton, when it happened.

Katherine still went on stage to sing because she "didn't want to let the charity down".

The court heard how the girl had accompanied another 15-year-old to a job interview at a hairdresser before the attack.

The pair were seen on CCTV, shown to the court, trying to take an elderly woman's bag before the defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lashed out.

Robert Simpson, prosecuting, said: "It was in the King's Road London. Miss Jenkins was walking in the street she had a drink in her hand and was using her mobile phone.

"She saw the defendant being involved in a struggle with another lady trying to take her bag.

"She believed the defendant thought she was filming her and moved towards her, knocked the cup out of her hand, took her phone, and made off round the corner with it.

"She made a telephone call to the police they arrived and put Mrs Jenkins in in their van and took her in the direction the girl had gone.

"The two girls were identified to the police and the phone recovered but at that point the screen had been broken and there had been a clumsy attempt to remove the sim card."

CCTV footage played to the court showed the two girls attempting to take a bag from a woman.

When miss Jenkins stepped in the teenager charged at her. Liquid could then be seen spilling into the air.

Sabrina Fitzgerald, defending, said her client was remorseful.

She said: "She attended the area because she was with a friend who had a job interview at a hairdressers.

"They set out with positive intentions. Unfortunately she made a very poor decision she first took the phone because she thought she was being filmed.

"She is very sorry, she is ashamed of her actions.

"This was a month ago and she has had to live with the shame of her actions.

"She is on course for A grades, or grade six as it is called nowadays.

"There are some issues around peer pressure and poor decision making skills."

The concert Katherine was performing in was organised by the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund, which was set up after the 18 year old, who was close friends with Princes William and Harry, died in a car crash in 2002.

Katherine sang Silent Night and Oh Holy Night for the crowd.

A member of the congregation told Mail Online: "Katherine as ever was a brilliant melodic singer but I sensed a little spark missing in her mood.

"This was particularly noticeable because about a week before I saw her perform at the Banqueting House for the Julien Macdonald Fashion Show when she sizzled."

It's said that Katherine was in tears as she stood at the scene of the mugging waiting for police to arrive.

She waved down a police can and was able to help officers arrested the fleeing suspects.

Jenkins' representatives told Mirror Online: "Katherine was in London to sing at the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Charity Carol Concert at St Lukes Church.

"On her way to rehearsal she witnessed an older lady being viciously mugged and intervened to help.

"As a result of her stepping in, Katherine was then mugged herself."

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