A JUDGE has branded two teenage cousins who beat up a younger autistic girl “cowards, bullies and mindless thugs”.

Katie Jeynes and Fern Passey were jealous of their 15-year-old victim for being in touch with a boyfriend and took it in turns to attack her.

The pair, both 18, left their victim with a bruised and swollen face after punching and slapping her, causing her to feel sick and needing hospital treatment.

Sarah Stock, prosecuting, told Worcester Magistrates Court: “A witness said the victim just stood there and took the beating.”

Mrs Stock said the cousins told police they had spotted their victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, and she appeared drunk.

They pushed her off a kerb before slapping and punching the girl, who is autistic and suffers from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, while verbally abusing her in the 20-minute attack.

Jeynes and Passey, both of Marsh Close, Malvern, admitted assault by beating. Jeynes also admitted committing the offence while subject to a conditional discharge.

Mark Sheward, in mitigation, said the incident had come about because Passey was in the early stages of a relationship with a boy and had seen the victim with him. He said prior to the attack the pair had exchanged words with the victim before Jeynes pushed and slapped her, and Passey punched her.

“They both accept what had taken place,” he said. “But both girls were of the impression that their victim was older than her age.

“They had seen her previously buying alcohol.”

He said the cousins, both students, had carried out the attack because of jealousy, but were both now remorseful of their actions, and were friends with her on the social networking site Facebook.

Mr Sheward said Jeynes had suffered after her mother committed suicide, and was finding it difficult to cope.

However, district judge Bruce Morgan said: “This case has so many aggravating factors. The girl was only 15. It was two-handed so it has all the elements of cowardice and bullying, knowing that she couldn’t retaliate. It shows what two little mindless thugs you really are.”

They were both given a two-month suspended custodial sentence, a year’s supervision order and were told to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work. They must both also pay £150 in compensation and £40 in costs.

Jeynes was given a further two months suspended custodial sentence for breaching the conditional discharge.