A teenage tearaway has blamed her crime sprees on pre-menstrual tension (PMT) in a bid to avoid receiving an anti-social behaviour order.

Magistrates placed a two-year order on Catherine Waggott, after hearing tales of the 16-year-old's bad behaviour as part of an intimidating gang of about 30 youths, which included harassment, foul language and theft.

But defence solicitor John Wesencraft said that if the Asbo was granted "she would be subject to an order which could see her being imprisoned because she's prone to PMT".

Mr Wesencraft said Waggott, of Bristol Avenue, Donwell, Washington, Wearside, was misunderstood.

He also held up a chart drawn up by Catherine's mother, Enid, to show a link between her daughter's menstrual cycle and offending.

Solicitor Veronica Jordan, making the Asbo application on behalf of the police, said: "What concerns the Crown is that she is only 16, yet she has been arrested 12 times in the past 18 months."

Magistrates heard Waggott had breached an anti-social order imposed last November.

There was also a log of anonymous allegations of behaviour supposedly involving Waggott or members of the "Catherine Waggott gang", involving criminal damage, drinking , smoking drugs and making hoax phone calls.

The order bans Waggott from causing harassment or distress to anyone, behaving offensively, or encouraging anyone else to do so.

Magistrates allowed the Press to name and shame the teenager.