Clutha: Teen who robbed bar escapes detention

A FOURTH teenager who was part of a group that broke into the Clutha pub in Glasgow and stole alcohol and charity tins just weeks after a helicopter hit the roof, killing ten people, has been spared detention.

Billy Jo Revie at Glasgow Sheriff Court. Picture: Iain McLellan/Spindrift

Billy Jo Revie, 16, pled guilty to breaking into the pub on 17 December last year and stealing the items.

The teenager’s case was called yesterday at Glasgow Sheriff Court and dealt with by Sheriff Joseph Platt, who was involved in the earlier case with those who previously admitted the same offence.

He told Revie: “I’m not going to impose a custodial sentence,” but added: “You are aware what you did was disrespectful”.

She was handed an 18-month community payback order with the condition that she will be supervised.

The sheriff previously sentenced Jordan Parry, 16, and Darren Melrose, 18, to six months’ detention after they admitted their crimes.

Charmaine Holmes, 17, who also pled guilty, was given a community payback order for 18 months with the condition she is supervised.

The court previously heard that the group were spotted lurking outside the pub by a man who was at the Clydeside site paying his respects to a friend who was killed in the tragedy.

He alerted the police and the teenagers were caught red-handed on camera forcing their way into the empty pub.

Officers then heard them smashing charity tins off the pavement and saw piles of coins and bottles of alcohol.

In reply to a caution and charge by officers, Revie said: “I didn’t touch nothing.”

Defence lawyer Ann Ritchie, representing Revie, said her client was friends with Holmes and they had met Parry and Melrose and followed them to the pub.

Ms Ritchie said Revie was “scared” at the time and knew that it was “disrespectful”. The defence lawyer also said that Revie spent time on remand over Christmas and found it a “frightening experience”.

Pilot David Traill and police constables Tony Collins and Kirsty Nelis were killed when the Eurocopter EC 135 plunged on to the Clutha bar at around 10:25pm on 29 November.

The popular venue was hosting a live band and was packed with customers on the Friday evening.

Those killed in the pub were John McGarrigle, Mark O’Prey, Gary Arthur, Colin Gibson, Robert Jenkins and Samuel McGhee.

Joe Cusker was pulled from the wreckage alive but later died in hospital.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has said the helicopter suffered a double engine failure.

Its report, published in February, said that both engines “flamed out” but did not pinpoint the cause.

The investigation is ongoing, though some commentators have suggested there was a problem with the fuel supply.