British teenage girl pleads guilty to assault on elderly Sikh

London: A British teenage girl caught on camera severely assaulting a 80-year-old Sikh man has pleaded guilty in a court.

19-year-old Coral Millerchip pleaded guilty at the Warwick Crown Court yesterday for an assault causing actual bodily harm on Trinity Street Coventry city centre in the West Midlands region of England on August 10.

Millerchip had sparked outrage around the world as she was filmed on a mobile phone kicking out at and hitting the elderly Sikh, knocking him to the ground causing his turban to fall off. As the dazed pensioner lay on the ground, she bent over and appeared to spit at him before walking off with a group of youths.

The victim, who suffered a cut nose and swelling, lives in the Canley neighbourhood of the city.

Sikh organisations in India had demanded action by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh after the incident took place.

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"This is a matter which was partially captured on a mobile phone and which was downloaded onto YouTube and receive publicity nationally," said her lawyer David Murray, adding that the plea had been entered on a basis acceptable to the prosecution, the Coventry Observer reported.

Millerchip also pleaded guilty to receiving a shoulder bag, purse and laptop computer taken in a burglary on July 9 in Coventry.

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Prosecutor Alex Warren said that the case was adjourned for Millerchip to stand trial on the burglary charge and will be sentenced accordingly for all proven crimes at the end of the trial.

The girl has not applied for bail and was remanded in custody.