A swaggering teenage yob dubbed the Singing Defective by despairing police is facing a long jail term after mowing down a teenage boy in a stolen car.

From the age of 14 Dean English was at the centre of a criminal network in his home town, which he terrorised through burglaries and car theft.

As long ago as 1995 when he first came to national attention senior officers warned he would kill himself or someone else by racing around in stolen cars.

It was earlier this year that Ian Gourley, 15, was killed as he lay chatting to friends in the middle of a playting field.

English was at the wheel of a stolen Ford Escort which roared out of the darkness and killed Ian before he had chance to scramble to safety.

It is the latest and most tragic of English's 73 convictions committed in and around Peterlee, Co Durham, since the age of 12.

English first hit the headlines in 1995, when police admitted they could do nothing to stop his solo crime wave.

Detectives branded the 14-year-old villain 'the Singing Defective' for his habit of smirking and singing "no reply, no reply, no reply " during questioning.

English, who Durham Police said was responsible for ten per cent of all crime in their force area during the early 90's, said he did not fear jail - where he looked forward to "lying about all day, smoking dope".

Police could not jail English because the 1991 Criminal Justice Act lifted the minimum age of juvenile detention from 14 to 15-years-old.

English vowed to quit crime once he turned 15, but then said in a radio interview: "I'll just gan to jail, I'm not bothered. I reckon jail will be just like a holiday camp. I'll just lie in my cell all day, smoking dope."

Yesterday he seemed set to get his wish when Judge Richard Lowden, sitting at Durham Crown Court, said: "You have been convicted on what seems to be conclusive evidence by a jury.

"I will sentence you along with the others on November 8 - but don't expect anything other than a long custodial sentence.

"There is nothing that can be done to make up for this terrible loss for the Gourley family but I hope from this conviction they will have some closure."

Detective Superintendent Harry Stephenson said: "I am absolutely delighted with the verdict.

"He was a very prolific criminal and had a history that spanned the late 1990's, for which he received a number of long sentences.

"The family of Ian Gourley have said they are absolutey delighted. They have sat together in te public gallery of the court throughout this trail and I have total admiration for their courage."

The court heard how Ian was lying on the ground with two friends at 8.30pm on the evening of Wednesday November 19 last year.

The terrified teenagers tried to run as the blinding headlights of the speeding car came straight at them out of the darkness.

The mother of Gemma Crisp, 15, one of Ian's friends heard her daughter's screams after ringing her at the moment the car was approaching.

A stolen black J-registration Ford Escort was being driven on the field known as Pony Field in Peterlee, Co Durham.

The car, containing English and three passengers, was pulling handbrake turns and other dangerous manouevres on the field, the jury heard.

After hitting Ian the car was then driven into a nearby ravine and set alight, it was alleged.

English, 22, of Peterlee, denied causing death by dangerous driving and arson but was convicted after a five day trial.

Prosecutor Shaun Dodds said: "Ian Gourley had met up with friends Michael Irvine and Gemma Crisp, who are both 15.

"Gemma received a call from her mother. When she answered the phone she was screaming that a car with bright lights was coming towards them.

"The vehicle collided with Ian Gourley and then carried on across the field.

"Gemma and Michael ran for help and Ian was taken to hospital. His injuries were such that despite efforts to save him he was declared dead at Hartlepool General Hospital about an hour later.

"Police officers on the scene followed tracks left on the field by the car to the car, which was in flames.

"The defendant was arrested on November 22 last year. English was interviewed by the police but refused to say anything during the interview.

"His girlfriend at the time has told the police about certain admissions he has made about driving the car when Ian was killed."

English claimed he got out of the car shortly before the accident in which Ian was killed.

The young thug became a career criminal who targeted the elderly and recruited men in their 20s and older when he was just 14.

He admitted he gave no thought to his victims, which for the most part were the vulnerable and elderly residents of a housing estate in Peterlee.

One resident, 69 year old Lilian Fenwick said she was so scared of English she slept in her living room, on the sofa, clutching a pair of kitchen scissors for protection.

"My life is not worth living," Lilian, who was burgled by English nine times, said.

"I keep the scissors in my hand and I don't go to bed. I would like to blind him.

"He should be whipped or given the birch, but the police do not have the power."

Detective Inspector Tim Wilson warned in 1995 English was a callous, cold hearted criminal who knew exactly what he was doing and cared nothing for his victims or for law and order.

He said: "He is an evil, callous, arrogant, teenage tearaway. "He has a total disregard for all authority. Sometimes during an interview he will talk to you and other times he will sit and sing and stare out of the window. He does not care. He just laughs about it.

"And we can do nothing. We have to go back to his victims and tell them he has been released to continue his crimes."

In 1995, DI Tim Wilson described the hoodlum's arrogance - and the way he taunted lawmen by chanting 'no reply, no reply, no reply', to the tune of here we go, here we go.

DI Wilson said: "When we have him in for questioning his sheer arrogance beggars belief.

"Seasoned officers have to put up with him singing "no reply no reply no reply" across the desk at them at the top of his voice when they are trying to ask him about serious crimes.

"If he is in a particularly good mood he sometimes admits his crimes, on other occasions there is no talking to him."

And he said: "This lad is more cunning, wicked and deceitful than men three times his age. He is a menace and should be behind bars."