A court has named a boy who has terrorised his home city with his violent behaviour.

Charlie Mitchell, who turned 13 two months ago, has been convicted of crimes ranging from shoplifting and vandalism to arson and burglary. He even broke into cars parked on steep hills and let off the handbrake so he could watch them career down the street and crash into other vehicles.

Magistrates in Plymouth imposed an antisocial behaviour order banning him from large parts of the city and harassing residents, swearing, using racial abuse and leaving his home after dark unless accompanied by a responsible adult.

Dylan Sadler, lawyer for Plymouth City Council, told magistrates: “You are dealing with an individual who has been described as a hardened criminal at the tender age of 12.

“He has been physically violent and verbally abusive to people, especially the elderly.”

Magistrates lifted a ban on naming the boy so that other people could recognise him if he breached the ASBO.

Martin Mitchell, 35, the boy’s father, blamed older boys for leading his son astray: “My lad is not a hardened criminal, that’s rubbish. He has been bullied into doing things.”

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