Last updated at 13:41, Tuesday, 19 June 2012

A TEENAGER who battered his own grandmother has been sent back to custody less than a month after being released.

The 17-year-old youth from Barrow, who cannot be named for legal reasons, repeatedly broke a restraining order and visited his 64-year-old grandmother to beg for food, money and cigarettes.

When he went round on June 10, he turned violent, having binged on plant food and ecstasy which left him with no recollection of what happened.

The boy, who appeared before Furness Youth Court on Friday(15/6), pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a restraining order and one count of assault.

Mrs Leslie Duhig, prosecuting, said: “The victim, his 64-year-old grandmother, has been the victim of violence at his hands in the past.

“She is a vulnerable lady and she lives at home with her seriously-ill husband.

“He is considered to pose a high risk by Cumbria police.”

The court heard on June 9 the youth’s grandmother was sitting on the steps of her flat when she saw him approaching. She tried to shut the door but he pushed it open and asked for cigarettes and if he could use the phone.

He later left but the following day he returned and tried to get into the house again. He asked for money and then began shouting at his grandmother.

Mrs Duhig said: “She went to get her purse and threw £10 at him, he asked for more but she explained she didn’t have more.

“He began to punch her repeatedly to the head.

“She said she was petrified during the attack and she thought the boy was going to kill her.”

The woman pressed a panic button installed in the flat and police arrived.

Her grandson ran away and was arrested by police on June 11. The court heard the boy was taken to hospital during interview due to poor nutrition.

Mr Mike Graham, defending, said: “His grandmother accepts when he has visited it has been by consent when he’s been given food and money.

“He’s a 17-year-old that’s at fault for the commission of the offences but in terms of his upbringing he’s not had the best of situations.”

Mr Bernard Beckett, presiding magistrate, said: “These offences are so serious only a custodial sentence can be justified.

“It was an assault on a vulnerable victim and the offence was carried out in her own home.”

The boy was sentenced to a 12-month detention order.

The Evening Mail made an application to the court for reporting restrictions to be lifted so the boy could be named.

But presiding magistrate, Mr Beckett refused.

First published at 13:34, Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk