AN ELDERLY couple's home came under a barrage of paving slabs and stones, after three people took refuge in their house from a gang of 20 yobs.A 15-year-old boy, who was part of the group which terrified the Felixstowe couple, has been told to pay £1,000 compensation.

AN ELDERLY couple's home came under a barrage of paving slabs and stones, after three people took refuge in their house from a gang of 20 yobs.

A 15-year-old boy, who was part of the group which terrified the Felixstowe couple, has been told to pay £1,000 compensation.

A court heard that around 20 youths threw paving slabs, rocks and stones at the couple's house until every window at the front of the house was smashed.

The thugs shouted abuse for almost half an hour and "terrified" the elderly homeowners.

David Taylor, prosecuting at South East Suffolk Youth Court yesterday, said the violence started when Terry Russell, a man in his 30s, was walking with two friends in the Langer Road area.

He said Mr Russell had a severely disabled daughter who had been subjected to abuse from local youths, and he was "not going to take that lying down."

One of the youths saw Mr Russell on Langer Park and telephoned his friends on his mobile phone.

"A large group of youths approached Mr Russell," said Mr Taylor.

"They were acting aggressively and Mr Russell and his two friends ran away."

Mr Taylor said one the friends, a 16-year-old, was caught, struck on the head and kneed in the face by the youths.

Mr Taylor said eventually all three were running away while the youths chased them and threw missiles at them.

The youths were described as being "totally out of control, like animals".

Mr Russell was struck by rocks, and the other two were also pelted with slabs and stones.

Mr Taylor said the trio sought refuge at a house but they had difficulty getting in because of the bombardment of missiles from the gang.

He added that the woman in the house was "badly affected" by the violence and was now considering moving away from the area.

"She is scared to go out," said Mr Taylor.

The 15-year-old pleaded guilty to affray.

He also admitted using threatening behaviour on another occasion when he approached a 17-year-old lad in Hamilton Road and shouted abuse at him.

Naomi Turner, mitigating for the youth, said of the affray: "This is an extremely serious offence and there is really no mitigation. However he has shown clear expressions of remorse."

She said that her client had played a lesser role in the aggression.

She said he had been towards the back of the group which gathered outside the house, but had admitted throwing stones.

The court heard that the boy had a previous offence of shoplifting, and that his offending had coincided with friendships with two slightly older youths.

"He realises there was long lasting and damaging effects on the victims so he would pay compensation," added Mrs Turner.

The boy, who is due to sit his GCSE exams in May, said: "I would like to apologise for being here in the first place. These people must have been very frightened and I have heard they were quite elderly.

"I have recently been on the receiving end of being assaulted, and I now know how it feels. I would never do anything like this again."

The teenager was sentenced to a two-year supervision order and told to obey by a three-month curfew, which only allowed him to go out to school and to part-time evening employment.

He was also told to pay £1,000 compensation to the couple, £50 to the 17-year-old he abused in Hamilton Road, and £100 towards court costs.