Teens Plead Guilty to Attacking Lesbian Couple on Bus After They Refused to Kiss

Three teenage boys have admitted to threatening and attacking a lesbian couple in London in May.

Highbury Corner Youth Court heard Melania Geymonat, 28, and her girlfriend Christine Hannigan, 29, were allegedly targeted on the top of a double-decker London night bus after refusing to kiss. The three boys harassed the couple and pelted coins resulting in facial wounds. Pictures of their bloodied faces posted by Geymonat went viral.

District Judge Susan Williams ruled that a 17-year-old boy was motivated by homophobia, according to CBS News. He was sentenced to a four-month youth rehabilitation order, 20-hours of community service, and a two-week curfew.

The two other boys, ages 15 and 16, will be sentenced on December 23.

Describing her ordeal, Geymonat said she was heading home with her American girlfriend Chris after a date night, when a gang of at least four men started harassing them.

"They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us 'lesbians' and describing sexual positions," she recalled. "I don't remember the whole episode, but the word 'scissors' stuck in my mind."

"The next thing I know is that Chris is in the middle of the bus fighting with them," she said. "On an impulse, I went over there only to find her face bleeding and three of them beating her up."

"The next thing I know is I'm being punched. I got dizzy at the sight of my blood and fell back. I don't remember whether or not I lost consciousness."

Judge Williams said it was clear the incident was a "hostile act."

"However, I also have to be sure that you were hostile because Ms. Hannigan was a lesbian," Williams said to the defendants in court. "In other words, that you were picking on her because of who she was and not just fooling around... I have come to the short conclusion that is exactly what you were doing."