A TEENAGER who abused and swore at a woman Goth and was part of a gang that egged her Royston home, was sentenced to 11 months detention on Friday. Lee Girling, 19, had targeted Anise O Neill for two years because he objected to her dressing in black

A TEENAGER who abused and swore at a woman "Goth" and was part of a gang that "egged" her Royston home, was sentenced to 11 months' detention on Friday.

Lee Girling, 19, had targeted Anise O'Neill for two years because he objected to her dressing in black and having long black hair, Luton Crown Court was told.

On April 11, he was with other youths when he saw her near her home in Princes Mews, Royston, and said: "There is that grubby woman."

When she confronted him he swore at her, said prosecuting counsel Margaret Mascarenhas.

Inside her home shortly afterwards, the 44-year-old victim heard an egg smash against her bathroom window, and when she looked out was hit by a second egg on the side of her neck.

Girling was said to have been heard to say: "Well done, you got her."

He knocked on her door, swore at her again, and was insulting to her children.

Later Girling was said to have gone to apologise, but Ms O'Neill refused to accept his apologies and told him he had five seconds to leave.

He raised his fingers in the air and counted down from five, leaving just his middle finger in an abusive gesture, said Ms Mascarenhas.

Girling, of Coronation Avenue, Royston, appeared for sentence for using threatening words and behaviour.

He also admitted breaching a 10-month sentence that had been suspended for 18 months in September last year.

Ms Mascarenhas said the suspended sentence related to trouble that broke out at the Kebab Kitchen in Royston.

Girling had grabbed the victim around the neck and hit him about the head. After being forced out on to the street by staff, Girling produced a Stanley knife and said: "I am going to stab you."

Defence barrister Philip Levy said Girling needed "effective treatment" for alcohol problems.

He said he had been banned from pubs in Royston, and as a consequence, was associating with a younger group and was showing off.

Judge Geoffrey Breen told him: "You have a number of previous convictions which show a tendency when fuelled by alcohol to engage in anti-social, loutish, and violent behaviour."

In addition to the custodial sentence, the judge imposed a two-year anti-social behaviour order on Girling.

He must not use threatening or abusive words or behaviour, must not be in possession of a knife, possess alcohol in a public place, or enter Royston town centre between 9pm and 5.30am.