A 13-YEAR-OLD Winsford schoolboy has been given a curfew order after admitting taking an Avon lady's scooter without her consent.

The boy, who cannot be named, also pleaded guilty to criminal damage when he appeared at South Cheshire Youth Court in Crewe on Thursday accompanied by his mum.

He admitted damaging a car at Stafford Street in Crewe on June 25 and taking a vehicle without consent on August 30. He also admitted failing to surrender to police bail.

Prosecuting, Beverley Dobson said the boy had jumped on the bonnet of an N-reg Ford Escort belonging to Sam Thrower in June.

He caused damage to the nearside door, the bonnet and completely shattered a spring.

She said he had always denied the charge until police had matched a footmark from the bonnet with the boy's footwear. Then when the schoolboy was on police bail he and a co-defendant took a scooter belonging to Nicola Price from an address in Crewe.

Miss Dobson said: "He admitted taking it with others to share between themselves. It was damaged to such an extent that it was a write off."

The owner of the scooter is a newsagent and used the scooter to deliver papers when newspaper boys let her down.

She further used it for her work as an Avon lady.

She felt 'totally hurt and upset and could not believe somebody could cause damage to the bike in such a mindless and senseless way'.

Defending, Roger Badman said the teenager had recently completed his first day in school for three years.

He said his family had huge problems and had suffered threats of violence as a result of a different matter.

Bench chairman Viv Morris gave him a three-month curfew order running from 8pm to 7am and disqualified him from driving for a year.