11:20AM, Wed Jun 20, 2012

Firebomber Who Targeted Jewish Family Caught Via Facebook

By Adrian Hogg Location: Newcastle

A firebomber who hurled an explosive into a young family's home was caught after boasting about his actions on Facebook.

Tomis Mankos, 19, threw a lit firework though their bedroom window in a racially-motivated attack which could have caused "serious consequences", Newcastle crown court was told.

Home-owner Gershon Miller heard a loud explosion from a bedroom of his home at around 9pm on November 1 last year.

His 11-year-old daughter fled when the lit explosive landed in a bedroom of the family's home in Bensham, Gateshead, burning a hole in a mattress.

Mr Miller, 41 called the police, but it was only when officers found conversations referring to the attacks on the social networking site that they arrested Mankos, 19, and three others.

Mankos, of Fosse Terrace, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to causing racially-aggravated criminal damage.

He initially denied the attack but eventually admitted he had thrown the firecracker after being handed it by a younger man.

The trainee painter and decorator admitted he and his pals targeted the because a Jewish family lived there.

His defence counsel told the court: “This has been described as an immature prank.

"This young man, who turned 19 this week, is someone who does not consider the long term consequences of his actions.

"He needs some assistance in growing up, essentially. He struggles to explain why he did it."

Recorder Neil Davey QC sentenced Mankos to six months in jail, suspended for 12 months, with 12 months supervision. He also ordered him to complete 50 hours of unpaid work.

The judge told Mankos: "This is serious, even if it seemed like a prank to you at the time.

"It could have caused a huge amount of damage.

"It could have caused much more serious consequences in terms of the lives of the family inside the house.

"Mercifully, it did not, but that was only by good luck."

Speaking after the hearing Mr Miller, 41, who lives with wife Naomi, 39, and their children, said: "It was a full-size firework.

"It landed on a child's bed and burned right through it. If any of the children were in that bed, it could have been very serious. "It was very frightening."