A teenage thug wearing a motorcycle helmet attacked two elderly parishioners after being unsuccessful in his bid to sit beside one of them in a church.

Khevin Ngibi, 18, slapped one of his victims, an 81-year-old, so hard that her glasses fell off.

Another parishioner aged in his 60s was punched repeatedly by him as he rushed to her aid.

Biker Ngibi, who kept his helmet on during the bizarre attack at Our Lady and St Paulinus Church in Dewsbury, was jailed for six months.

The Congolese national had refused to come up from the Kirklees Magistrates’ Court cells for the hearing - after insisting in taking part in a religious ritual first.

The incident at the church, which is based on Cemetery Road, happened on October 10.

Ngibi entered the church and headed to the pew where his first victim, 81, was sitting with her sister.

Jill Seddon, prosecuting, said: “He asked to sit with them and indicated he wanted them to move along so that he could sit in between the two sisters.

“The complainant said she would move along but wanted to sit next to her sister and he tried to force her out of the seat.

“He slapped her in the face, causing her glasses to come off.”

A second churchgoer then came to the woman’s aid and tried to take hold of Ngibi and move him away.

Mrs Seddon said: “He (Nigibi) was wearing a motorcycle helmet at the time and caught the gentleman to the face with the visor.

Motorcycle helmet stock

“Police were called and, as the complainant tried to hold onto him, the defendant punched him to the face and head more than once.”

The parishioner lost his grip and Ngibi fled on his bike but was later caught by CCTV footage taken from outside the church.

The teenager - who was previously sectioned - had denied two assaults but failed to show up for his trial last month and was found guilty by magistrates.

Many of the victim’s fellow churchgoers had attended at the Huddersfield court to support them as they gave evidence.

Ngibi was also sentenced in his absence after telling the court that he would take part in some religious practise first before declining to appear before District Judge Michael Fanning.

He sentenced the teen , of Wellington Street in Heckmondwike, to six months in custody and made an indefinite restraining order banning him from returning to the church.

Judge Fanning added: “This is an unpleasant an episode as can be imagined.

“Churches are traditionally places of sanctuary (and) these are elderly parishioners.”