A SCHOOLBOY at the wheel of a car when it crashed into an open youth club has had his term of custody cut.

Burnley Crown Court heard how the 15-year-old, who also took part in a burglary, had earlier been given an 18 months detention and training order by Hyndburn youth court.

It was reduced to 10 months by Recorder Harry Narayan, sitting with two justices, who said the boy had never before lost his liberty. The judge said the teenager seemed to find the court proceedings funny, although it may have been a nervous reaction.

The boy from the Accrington area, said to have been neglected by his parents, had been given the original order after being convicted of burglary with intent to steal, aggravated vehicle taking and burglary of a garden shed.

Neil Standage, for the Crown, said the car was taken from the grounds of Accrington Victoria Hospital and seen to drive erratically at speed along George Street, Clayton-le-Moors.

Minutes later at about 10pm, it crashed into the wall of a youth club on Queen Street. The club was closing at the time and a lot of people were outside.

The teenager was recognised getting out of the driver's seat and ran off. He was arrested and admitted stealing the car with two others but wouldn't answer any further questions. He was charged and bailed.

Mark Stuart, for the boy, said the lower court was "wholly right" to impose a detention and training order but the appellant had never lost his freedom before. For a first custodial sentence, the clang of the prison gates was an important feature.

Detention had brought the 15-year--old up short.The appellant had been to a special school and his attendance there had been poor. He and his siblings had been taken into care as a result of inadequate parenting and neglect. His father had set a bad example.