A 16-YEAR-OLD youth who admitted throwing knives at his mother and threatening to kill her, was spared custody yesterday.

The boy from Darlington, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, admitted at the town's youth court to making threats to kill.

Ciaran Grogan, prosecuting, said the boy had asked his mother for money, but when she told him he could only have £5, he flew into a rage.

Mr Grogan said: "He threw three knives at his mother. His younger sister was present, so his mother told her to get out of the house and call the police.

"At this point he had hold of a kitchen knife and was pacing up and down waving it in her face, calling her a whore. He said he would kill her."

Graham Silvester, mitigating, told magistrates the boy was drunk at the time.

"He loves his mum and did not mean a word of what he said. He is sorry," he said.

"He needs help, and a period of time incarcerated with professional young criminals isn't what this young man needs."

Harry Fletcher, chairman of the bench, said: "You have come very, very close to going to prison today. The details of this offence frightened us, but we are giving you a chance to put all of this behind you. Make sure you take it and grasp it with both hands."

He gave the boy an 18-month supervision order and ordered him to pay £34 costs.