A DISTURBED teenager tampered with the gas pipe leading to his estranged mother's home and threatened to blow her up.

As gas poured into the building, 18-year-old Stuart Gibson told his mother, Helen: "I'm going to get a light and I'll see you in hell."

Mrs Gibson, who was in the house with her daughter and a nine-year-old friend, was left terrified as her son walked towards the embers of a nearby bonfire, in case he returned to carry out his threat.

She called the police and helped the girls to escape, although Gibson did not return, Durham Crown Court heard.

Gibson admitted criminal damage being reckless as to whether life would be endangered and was sent to a young offenders' institution for five years.

Prosecutor Martin Powers said the incident happened early in the morning, just hours after Gibson appeared in court and was given a deferred sentence for stealing a woman's handbag in Front Street, Stanley.

His mother refused to let him in to the house in Fulforth Way, Sacriston, County Durham, and Gibson began smashing pieces of wood so that he could make himself a shelter.

About an hour later, he began banging on the door and threatening to kill her. He told his mother that he was going to gas her and she saw him rocking back and forward with his hand on the external gas meter.

When he was arrested, he said: "She is stressing me out. I got stressed. I don't know what I have done."

Jamie Adams, mitigating, said Gibson was emotionally immature and very young in his mental aptitude.

Mr Adams said the offence could be considered as a cry for love and affection from his mother, adding that he had been deprived in his most vulnerable years.

Judge Richard Lowden told Gibson: "It is clear you are a disturbed young man, but there is a difficulty that this court faces.

"You won't see a probation officer, but a psychiatric report says you are not suffering from mental illness."

The judge added: "You are a considerable risk in your present state and you will continue to be a risk for some time.''

Gibson, of no fixed abode, also admitted ordinary criminal damage, making threats to kill and the theft of the handbag.