Boys deny throwing seat over Westfield barrier

Two teenage boys have denied throwing a chair 50ft (15m) from the top floor of an east London shopping centre, allegedly as part of an internet prank.

They were arrested after a viral video showed an incident at Westfield Stratford shopping centre on 1 March, where a chair was thrown and missed shoppers walking below.

The boys, aged 14 and 15, both pleaded not guilty at Stratford Magistrates' Court to a charge of criminal damage recklessly endangering life.

The charges state the boys, who cannot be named because of their age, damaged a seat worth £500 and were "reckless as to whether the life of another person would thereby be endangered".

Prosecution barrister Matthew Groves told the court the defendants went to the top floor and one boy "picked up a large footstool and threw it over a balcony railing".

He said the incident was filmed by the other boy "with a view to being posted on the internet" after which "it came to the attention of the authorities".

The boys were conditionally bailed to appear for trial at the same court on 3 July.

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