A BOY was spared jail yesterday after admitting to magistrates: "I know I am on my last chance."

The 15-year-old was told that if he appeared in court again he would be jailed.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted breaching a referral order by failing to attend supervised sessions.

Darlington Youth Court heard how the boy, from Darlington, had trouble keeping to his 8pm to 7am curfew.

Zoe Passfield, mitigating, said that was the root of many problems and arguments at home.

"He has problems keeping to the times. He does not wear a watch and when he comes in late that causes arguments with his mum," she said. "Arguments over keeping to the curfew are a big factor in causing his temper tantrums."

Magistrates agreed to relax the boy's curfew from 9pm to 7pm on Sunday to Thursdays, and to remove the restrictions at the weekends.

They also ordered him to continue with the 80 hours of community work outstanding from his existing order and fined him £10.

John Robinson, chairman of the magistrates' bench, said: "The law is the law and whether you are 15 or 50, an order is an order."