Teen sent down for court camera phone use

A teenager found to be taking photos and videos of the inside of a courtroom on his mobile phone has been sentenced to six months in custody.

Nineteen-year-old Shaun Nash was convicted on Friday after he was spotted, by a juror, in the public gallery of Bristol Crown Court recording video and taking photos on his mobile. He was arrested and charged with contempt of court.

The robbery trial had to be aborted because of Nash's action and the teenager was sentenced to six months in a young offenders' institution.

Judge Michael Roach described his actions as "extremely serious" and said the conviction was necessary to show other that mobile phones can not be used in court.

Nash told police he was "just having a laugh". Nash's phone was found to contain two pictures and some short films, which the judge described as like a montage of "my day out at the Crown Court".