A JUDGE last night ordered a teenager to be locked up after he and his 11-year-old accomplice subjected a child to a "degrading ordeal" after kidnapping him at knifepoint.

The 14-year-old boy will be detained in youth custody for three years after Judge David Bryant rejected pleas for him to remain free.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the boy, then aged 12, and his 11-year-old friend kidnapped an eight-year-old boy at knifepoint from Taylor Square in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, forcing him to a deserted playing field.

They then stripped the youngster, told him he was gay and demanded he perform sex acts on them.

When he refused, the 11-year-old stabbed his terrified victim in the arm with a knife and both boys beat him and threw him in the air before hurling him naked into a bush.

They eventually returned the youngster to his mother, but told him to lie about what happened.

Sentencing the boys yesterday, Judge Bryant referred to a report by Mike Heaps, of County Durham Youth Engagement Service.

It said: "This was no childish prank, it was acts of extreme cruelty perpetrated by two older children upon a defenceless child. The attack took place over a prolonged period of time."

Judge Bryant said it was clear both children knew what they were doing was wrong.

The court heard the victim was terrified following the ordeal in April last year and suffered flashbacks and nightmares.

The 14-year-old defendant's barrister, Jamie Hill, said that because of his limited abilities, he would benefit from a supervision order rather than custody.

"It is perhaps noteworthy that the boy was taken home. It marks it out from other cases and the ending could have been worse than it was," he added.

But the judge rejected his submission and told the boy: "It is urged upon me that I should allow you to remain with freedom but it seems to me it is not in your interests or anybody else's that it should happen."

Sentencing him to three years, he said: "I hope during that time you can be helped so you never do anything like this again."

The boy had pleaded guilty to kidnap and assault. A charge of indecent assault was not proceeded with following the pleas.

His accomplice, now aged 12, was deemed unfit to plead to the charges but a jury decided he had committed the same acts.

A manager for Children in Need said the boy, who has been excluded from school, could be made subject to an anti-social behaviour order.

The court heard he had a disturbing background but no further details were given.

The judge told him: "It may be that you deserve to be dealt with in the same way but I have no power to do so."

He ordered the 12-year-old be made subject to a supervision order for two years and be supervised by a social worker at Durham County Council and to live at an address specified by social services.