In early September, the 15-year-old tried to grab a bag of chips out of the hands of another boy, the Borås Tidning newspaper reports.
When the owner of the snacks resisted the 15-year-old’s attempt to take the chips, the latter then tore open the bag, spilling the chips on the ground.
The the chips’ owner responded with a provocative comment, at which point a 14-year-old companion of the suspect to beat and kick the boy.
According to Swedish law, the boy who carried out the beating is too young to be charged, leaving prosecutors investigating the incident no choice but to seek charges against the 15-year-old who took the bag of chips.
The boy admits he snatched the snacks, but denies he committed any crime.
Prosecutors saw things different, however, and elected to bring charges of unlawful dispossession against the 15-year-old, a crime which carries a maximum sentence of six months in prison.
In addition to settling the matter of the torn bag of chips, the 15-year-old’s impending trial will also address charges of vandalism and the theft of a pack of cigarettes stemming from two separate incidents.