'He said he would find a way to kill us'

The mother of a 16-year-old boy yesterday told a court how her son was constantly causing trouble and even threatened he would find a way to kill her.

"He is constantly misbehaving. We're devastated at home. Devastated. He threatens me, even with knives... He even threatens me outside, in front of people, and all this because I had reported to police that he was stealing," the woman told Magistrate Anthony Vella.

Meanwhile, the boy sat in the dock with his arms crossed listening to what was going on during court proceedings initiated because he breached a probation order.

In July the teenager was put on probation for his involvement in a string of thefts and placed under the care of probation officer Marianne Zammit. But Ms Zammit reported the boy to the Magistrates' Court as he was not abiding by the probation order.

The boy's mother was yesterday called to the witness stand and explained how her son was staying out late, going home smelling of alcohol and hanging around with older men.

"The other day when a police officer came home, he started shouting at the officer who later took him to the police station. That was when I found out he had been involved in a fight the night before.

"When he returned home from the police station he assaulted me and his elder brother had to stop him. He was about to go for the kitchen knives and told us that he would find a way to kill us," the woman said.

Magistrate Vella also heard the probation officer explain that since July the boy had only attended two of the weekly sessions with her.

The few times he actually turned up, she said, he would be hostile and show signs of aggression although, after she yelled at him, he quietened down. At this point Police Inspector Joseph Agius, prosecuting, said the boy was even heard saying that he wanted to be a criminal.

Ms Zammit went on to add that she believed the boy ought to be referred to a social worker or psychologist as he did not have any boundaries and speaking to him was like talking to the wall.

"He is rebelling against his mother and we need to understand why," she said.

As the magistrate discussed the option of jailing the boy for a month he turned to the boy, told him to stand up and asked him if he was listening.

The boy promptly replied: "Throw me in jail. Throw me. Perhaps when I come out I'd learn to behave," he said. Magistrate Vella remarked that this was the first time someone had expressed a wish to be jailed and the boy reaffirmed that he wanted to be jailed.

"So you want to be jailed?" the magistrate asked.

"Yes," the boy answered.

"So, it would be a worse punishment if I did not jail you once you want to be in jail. Then perhaps I shouldn't jail you," the magistrate told him.

Magistrate Vella then asked the boy why he had not turned up for appointments with his probation officer.

"I either forget or remain asleep," he said matter-of-factly.

After some time, the magistrate turned back to the boy and told him that he would give him five weeks within which to pull himself together.

"Will you be ready to meet up with the probation officer once a week?" the magistrate asked the boy.

After a moment of hesitation he answered that he was.

"If you fail to turn up once, there will be trouble. Do you understand me?" Magistrate Vella asked.

The boy nodded.

The magistrate then turned to the probation officer and asked her to explore the possibility of enrolling the teenager into community service.

"Wouldn't it be better if we found you a job?" the magistrate asked the boy.

"No. I don't want to work," the young man snapped.

"And how will you live?" the magistrate asked in a calm voice.

To this the 16-year-old replied with a shrug.

Magistrate Vella then put off the case to five weeks' time and asked the probation officer to let him know if the boy failed to turn up for their meetings. He also ordered that one of these meetings be held in his office.

The name of the boy is not being published because he is a minor.