Court asked to lock up boy, 12

A mother yesterday asked a court to lock up her 12-year-old son because neither she nor her husband can cope with his behaviour. Easingwold Youth Court in North Yorkshire was told that the boy placed concrete slabs across the East Coast main rail line four times last month.

The boy, who cannot be named, admitted causing an obstruction on a railway line under the Malicious Damage Act of 1861 and asked that two earlier incidents be taken into consideration. He was remanded for reports into local authority care until next month.