Teenager admits she punched Sikh pensioner, 80, to the ground and spat in his face in brutal attack

Coral Millerchip, 19, was filmed attacking Joginder Singh, 80, in Coventry

Mobile phone footage showed her punching the dementia sufferer to ground

She admitted assault causing actual bodily harm at Warwick Crown Court



The teenager was remanded into custody awaiting sentencing



A teenager who was caught on camera knocking a frail 80-year-old Sikh over before spitting in his face has pleaded guilty to assault.

Coral Millerchip, 19, was filmed battering defenceless Joginder Singh and knocking his turban off during a daylight attack in Coventry.

She was arrested after footage of the brutal assault was uploaded to social networking sites, sparking widespread outrage.

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Vicious: This still from mobile phone footage shows Coral Millerchip, 19, punching Joginder Singh, 80, in the face Defenceless: Frail Mr Singh tries to defend himself against the teenage girl but she continues her assault

Punched to the floor: This still shows Mr Singh flat on his back on the pavement in front of the teenager

A court heard she was captured on camera by a passer-by punching and kicking Mr Singh to the floor before standing over him, spitting in his face, and then staggering away.



The footage shows Millerchip launching herself at the pensioner, who suffers from dementia, in the city centre on August 10.

Yesterday Millerchip, whose address cannot be revealed for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to assault and causing actual bodily harm at Warwick Crown Court and was remanded into custody awaiting sentencing.



Defending David Murray told the court: 'This is a matter which was partially captured on a mobile phone and which was downloaded onto YouTube and receive publicity nationally.'

But Mr Murray added that he ‘took issue’ with the prosecution’s case in relation to part of the incident which had not been recorded, observing that the accounts of three witnesses differed in relation to that.



Speaking after the hearing, Mr Singh's relatives said the pensioner had been changed by the attack.

Humiliating: Members of the Sikh community said knocking a turban off was the worst form of disrespect



His daughter-in-law, who did not want to be named, said: 'He has not been the same, he is nervous and won’t leave the house.



'He is scared of people coming up to him now, he is uncommunicative. It is unbelievable, I was dumbfounded when I saw the attack

'To do this to an 80-year-old man is beyond comprehension.'

Community leader, Gurvinder Sikh Indina added: 'The turban is the most important symbol for a Sikh, to have it knocked off is the worst disrespect.



'When I heard this action was taken by this girl against an old man I could not believe it. The whole community is furious.'

