A TEENAGER has been jailed for attacking another youth on a packed bus just days after being released from a youth detention centre.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was seen by police chasing the victim on to a bus in Bacup town centre earlier this month.

Burnley Youth Court heard that the mainly elderly passengers on the bus the witnessed the defendant attacking the other youth.

A third youth, who was believed to be a friend of the victim, then attacked the defendant and has since been charged with assault.

Police officers got on to the bus and stopped the fight.

The youth admitted using threatening behaviour and breaching an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) made on him in June last year.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said: "It would seem the victim didn't want to make a statement about the incident. He indicated that he attacked the defendant initially.

"But the defendant knew that he should not have been in Bacup town centre causing trouble because of the conditions of the anti-social behaviour order.

"He attacked someone in full view of the public in the town centre."

She added: "The offences occurred just days after he was released from custody."

Bill Rawsthorn, defending, said his client had been in town sorting out his benefits following his release from a youth detention centre.

He said: "He wouldn't have done anything if he hadn't been shouted at and he tells me he was punched first and responded."

Magistrates sentenced him to a total of 10 months in custody - six months for breaching the ASBO and four months for using threatening behaviour, to run concurrently.

This was the seventh time the defendant has breached his anti-social behaviour order since it was made last year to try and curb his behaviour in Bacup town centre and on the Pennine estate.

He did not have any criminal convictions when the order was made.

But he appeared before magistrates in March of this year charged with assaulting a young woman, two counts of breaching his ASBO, witness intimidation and using threatening behaviour, and was given a nine month referral order.

He was then back in court in August for a further four breaches of his ASBO and was sent to a youth detention centre for four months.