A BOY believed to be the youngest in the region to be forced to wear an electronic tag was convicted of causing £60,000 worth of damage to a school yesterday.

The 14-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given a two-year supervision order and placed on a three-month curfew.

Appearing before Teesside Crown Court, he and two other youths, aged 14 and 16, all admitted arson at Billingham Campus School, on October 1, last year.

Prosecuting, Christine Egerton told the court how the youths had gathered outside the school's science block on the evening of the offence.

Miss Egerton said one of the 14-year-olds was drunk and, after telling the others he wanted to set fire to the school, had forced open a window in the science block.

Once inside, the boy was joined by the 16-year-old and used a cigarette lighter to set fire to the classroom blinds.

Miss Egerton said the youths overturned a cabinet and threw books across the room and it was at this point they were joined by the other 14-year-old, who acted as lookout. The block was destroyed by the fire.

Stephen Constantine, defending the 14-year-old who started the blaze, described him as very immature for his age.

Judge John Walford said the boy had clearly been the ring leader. Sentencing the three, he told them that people who committed arson, particularly on schools, must normally expect a custodial sentence and it was only their young ages that had saved them from such a course.

The 16-year-old and the other 14-year-old were each placed on a 12-month intensive supervision and surveillance programme.