A BURNLEY schoolboy who burgled six homes among a string of other offences, has kept his freedom.

The 15-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was given a 12-month supervision order and a three month curfew order, between the hours of 9pm and 7am.

Burnley youth magistrates told the defendant they were not making a parenting order. They said they had listened to the boy's mother, she had felt things were changing and was doing all she could.

The bench added they did not want to see the teenager again - and if they did he would be dealt with very very seriously.

The defendant had been convicted of taking a vehicle without consent, possessing an offensive weapon, the six burglary charges, not having insurance and no driving licence. The court was told how the youth offended one month after he was given a supervision order.

He breached it two weeks later, driving in a dangerous manner and had been egged on by others in the car. The defendant had had a knife hidden in his sock but there was no suggestion he had used the weapon or that it was produced in public.