Boys admit desecrating Jewish graves in Manchester

Two 13-year old boys have admitted toppling over and cracking gravestones at the Jewish Cemetery in Blackley, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The pair, from north Manchester, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Manchester magistrates after being “caught red-handed” toppling the headstones and causing three to be cracked at the cemetery on Rochdale Road, Higher Blackley.

Residents, who had been on “high alert” after anti-Semitic graffiti was found on some gravestones only days earlier, reported hearing a “loud thudding noise”.

Prosecuting, Zahra Daqri said: “The boys were rocking a headstone from side to side to such an extent that it fell and cracked, which made impact with the headstone near it, causing that to crack.”

One of the boys, who was already on a conditional discharge for criminal damage, also admitted stealing £350 cash from a petty cash box in a care home. Both defendants were bailed until sentencing on 16 September.