Magistrates showed mercy to two teenage alleged burglars when they arrived late for a committal hearing.
Katie Louise Coxon, aged 18, and a 16-year-old girl had been trying to find out if the younger girl's brother was safe as they feared he had been involved in a fatal road crash only hours before, said the pair's solicitor John Howard.
The court heard the brother had taken the injured man to hospital where he later died.
Coxon and the younger girl were an hour and a half late for court.
By then, magistrates had issued a warrant for their arrest.
But after hearing the explanation, magistrates decided to take no action against them.
Coxon, of Fossway, Heworth, and the 16-year-old from central York, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, were committed to stand trial at York Crown Court for a £288 house burglary and an associated affray in Clifton on May 8. Both were released on conditional bail.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article