A GANG of youths who terrorised foreign students in Kidlington have been told to expect a lengthy term behind bars.

Kevin Moffitt, 18, and two youths, aged 17 and 14, were convicted of robbing an Italian teenager, in High Street, Kidlington, on July 12 last year.

After the jury announced their guilty verdict, Oxford Crown Court heard for the first time that members of the gang had attacked another three Italian students on the same night.

Judge David Morton-Jack said: "There was a pattern of picking on foreign students - punching them, kicking them down and kicking them between the legs."

He added: "Robbery in the street of this gravity against defenceless foreign children is almost bound to lead to considerable period of imprisonment."

Several Italian students were flown to Oxfordshire using taxpayers money in case they were called to give evidence against the trio.

But guilty pleas to some charges meant just

One 15-year-old Italian student, who had been flown to Oxfordshire to give evidence, took to the witness box after the youths denied robbing him as he used a public phone box. The court heard the three had earlier jumped over a wall to gatecrash Richard Branson's annual party for Virgin employees at his mansion, in Mill End, Kidlington, before going on the rampage.

The 17-year-old defendant admitted assault with intent to rob a second young Italian, the 14-year-old admitted assault on a third, and the pair jointly pleaded guilty to assaulting a fourth student.

Moffitt, who was only convicted on the robbery charge, is already in youth custody for criminal damage and intimidating a witness.

Bicester magistrates heard last month that he threw a firework into a toilet at Gosford Hill School, Kidlington, and later threatened a 16-year-old who saw him. Moffitt and the 17-year-old were remanded in custody and the 14-year-old was granted conditional bail. All three will be sentenced on June 12 following reports.

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