THE mother of an out of control 14-year-old boy asked magistrates to give her a parenting order yesterday.

The court heard that the boy, from Darlington, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been found guilty at trial of smashing the windows of a car on March 29.

Prosecuting at Darlington Youth Court, Sheila Moore said the boy's mother had gone to the home of the car's owner and got into a row with his partner, accusing them of verbally abusing her son.

When the situation calmed, the car owner went inside his home, but then heard a loud smashing noise.

"He saw the defendant standing in his driveway with a metal bar in his hand," said Mrs Moore.

"He then saw the defendant smash all of the windows except the front windscreen."

Magistrates asked the boy's mother for her opinion on the situation, and she said: "He is out of control."

She told the court she wanted a parenting order to help support her in bringing up the boy. She described how he drank and smoked cannabis in the house and, whenever she tried to stop him, hit back with a tirade of abuse.

Imposing a six-month parenting order, magistrates ordered the boy's mother to pay £206.51 compensation.

The boy was sentenced to a six-month intensive supervision and surveillance programme, as well as a 12-month supervision order.

Magistrates warned that if he committed further offences, he would be sent to prison.