AN 'extremely immature' teenager who made a bomb hoax days after the Manchester Arena terror attack has been locked up.

Liam 'Reece' Watts, from Latchford, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court last Thursday after a jury found him guilty of communicating false information with intent on November 2.

The Verve Place housing complex, on Mersey Street, was evacuated shortly before 10pm on May 30 after a phone call was received from a man purporting to be a police officer, who told a security guard that a bomb had been left in the building.

A second phone call was also made during the evacuation process.

Watts, 18, claimed a friend had made the 'prank call' but this was disputed by the jury.

Last Thursday, the court heard the teenager, of Grange Avenue, received an 18-month youth rehabilitation order prior to the incident for counts of attempted robbery and possession of a firearm.

Prosecution barrister Cheryl Mottram confirmed Watts was 17 at the time of the offences.

Defence barrister Sarah Griffin said there have been 'some positive steps' in the behaviour of Watts since the events from the night of May 30.

She added: "At 18 years of age, he is still extremely immature.

"Until this morning both the defendant and his mother did not see a way out under any type of community order.

"He knows he needs routine.

"In my submission, the best way to rehabilitate this defendant and to serve the public interest would be to impose the various order recommendations in the pre-sentence report and by allowing him to be released today."

Judge Brian Cummings QC opted to revoke the order placed on Watts and resentence him for the previous offences, as well as the bomb hoax.

He said: "The offence was committed during the currency of a youth rehabilitation order in respect of two offences – attempted robbery and possession of a firearm.

"At about 10pm on May 30 two hoax calls were made to The Verve.

"The precise motivation behind those calls is unclear but you knew those calls would be taken seriously.

"Your actions caused great inconvenience and anger, if not fear.

"You had no real understanding over the consequences of what you did.

"I am also limited in my sentencing powers in respect of the earlier offences because you were only 17 at the time.

"I am urged to impose a suspended sentence order today – that is not appropriate."

Watts was resentenced to four months imprisonment in a young offenders' institution (YOI) for the attempted robbery and possession of a firearm and eight months imprisonment in a YOI, consecutive, for the bomb hoax.