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The family of a 16-year-old boy who came out as gay have pleaded guilty to assault after using violence against the teen, claiming he “could be changed.”

Blackburn Magistrate’s Court heard on Wednesday, the 4th of January, that the victim feared for his life after coming out to his family. 

The family members (Including his mother, father, and older brother) who have name suppression in an attempt to conceal the victim’s identity are said to have used violence against the boy to “change” him. 

Each of the family members have been sentenced to a 12-month community order.

During the trial, prosecution attorney Saleema Chaudhry explained that the victim was shocked at the response by his family and believed he could have a good relationship with them by coming out.

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However, when the teen told his mother that “he was scared” during the incident, she ignored him.

“He is not sure his parents knew what they were doing was wrong,” the attorney added.

The 16-year-old was then taken into foster care following the assault, where he has reportedly “been accepted for what he is.”

Despite the actions of his family, defence attorney Aftab Bakhat claimed that the physical injuries had only been “slight” and that the harm was predominantly psychological, adding that the family has “entrenched views which need to be tackled” and that the parents had used those homophobic views to “psychologically scar their own son.”

Peter King, the brother’s defence attorney, also argued that his client’s actions against his younger sibling were acts of loyalty as opposed to predisposed homophobia.

“Unfortunately, his parents drew on him to try and make the other boy see things their way,” King said.

“On the day he chose to support his parents, not because he thought his brother was adopting the wrong way forward, but out of loyalty.”

The father has been ordered to complete 30 days of rehabilitative activity requirements, while the mother was ordered to complete 20 days along with the brother. Both parents have also been sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid community work, while the brother was sentenced to 80 hours.

Each family member was also ordered to pay a combined £342 victim surcharge and £300 in court costs.

In concluding the case, Judge Alex Boyd says he believed the offences were homophobic and had become aggravated due to the child’s sexual orientation.

“He has to move away from his family and friends and is now restarting his life in the care system, he continued. “He is doing well despite your actions and the position you placed him in.”

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