A TEENAGER who filmed dangerous stunts has been given a conditional discharge - and magistrates said they understood why he didn't think he had done wrong.

The 17-year-old from Darwen, who was imitating the cult TV programme Jackass, burned a 'smiley' face into a friend's arm using with a cigarette lighter.

Blackburn juvenile court heard he also set fire to his friend's back using an aerosol like a flame thrower. Both "pranks" were filmed for inclusion on a website run by the teenager and fed with footage by a gang calling themselves LLive Now Die Later.

The court was told the teenager was being prosecuted despite his friend being a willing participant in the stunts.

"We can understand why you and the rest of the group didn't think you were doing anything wrong," said the chairman. "You didn't force anyone into this activity and we understand how you felt at being singled out for prosecution."

When the magistrates were told the prosecution intended applying for a Criminal anti-Social Behaviour Order against the teenager the chairman said he found that strange.

"My colleagues and I can't understand this at all," he said. "This young man has one conviction prior to today, when we have given him a conditional discharge, which hardly smack of him being a terrible nuisance to society."

The application was adjourned.

Richard Prew, defending, said the incidents went back almost 12 months and added: "It has been difficult to reach the stage where my client pleads guilty because he doesn't really feel he has done anything wrong."

Mr Prew said the LNDL had initially had 10 members but this had grown to 25, all trying to out do each other.

He referred to a programme showing people rolling in nettles, playing paintball naked and nailing their genitals to a piece of wood.

"They have not been prosecuted," said Mr Prew. "I understand the police felt something had to be done to stop what was happening in Darwen. My client had been doing it for three or four years and it was compulsive viewing for people who were aware of the web site."

The teenager pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and igniting the aerosol with intent to injure. As well as the conditional discharge he was ordered to pay £60 costs.