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A depressing array of tracksuits, baseball caps, clouds of smoke and foul-mouthed banter outside court and it can surely mean only one thing.

The grinning, yelling teenagers are starting to arrive for the latest sitting of Grimsby Youth Court.

They are already mouthing off outside the building - most of them smoking - and soon they will be called into court for their cases to be heard.

It's been a while since we last paid an impromptu visit to the youth court but nothing much seems to have changed.

They can expect no-nonsense talkings-to from the good-value-for-money presiding magistrate, who will warn them that they face custody if they do not buck their ideas up.

He tells one troublesome youth: "We are not here to chew you to pieces and to crucify you. We are here to try to help you."

But will it make any difference? Are they destined for a life of crime, graduating from the youth court to the magistrates' court and then to Grimsby Crown Court?

Time will tell as the call goes out for the first defendant to go into court.

GLUM LAD IS WARNED THAT PRISON IS "NOT A NICE PLACE"

First up is a sullen-looking, skinny 15-year-old Grimsby boy wearing a black jacket that looks about three sizes too big.

He is in court for breaching his contract with the youth offending panel. With him is his bemused-looking grandmother.

It seems that he refused to come down from his bedroom for a home visit meeting with a youth offending service officer.

He also missed sessions and "refused to engage with the session" - putting him in breach of his compliance agreement.

The court is told that the youth is facing new charges and this would mean "upping the tariff next time".

A youth offending service representative says that the boy has started going back to school and has agreed to meet her.

Presiding magistrate Terry Waller tells the teenager: "It's time you started complying with these orders. It's going to start getting worse.

"You know what the end result is, don't you? Prison. Even though you are 15."

Obviously, it's not actually prison at that age in reality - that is for people aged 21 or more - but the point is made.

"If you don't comply, that's where you are going to end up and it's not a nice place," says Mr Waller.

"Not a nice place at all. If you keep offending, it's going to get worse and it's going to keep on getting worse."

The case is adjourned and the boy is allowed unconditional bail.

(Image: Rick Byrne / Grimsbylive)

GRUNTING YOUTH WAS "TOO TIRED" FROM WORK FOR COURT ORDER

Next in is a serious-faced 17-year-old Grimsby boy wearing a red zip-up hooded jacket and jeans.

His bleached blonde mother is with him, wearing a grey hooded full tracksuit. It turns out that she has been to prison.

The boy grunts his details when he is asked to provide them.

Solicitors do not, unlike in the adult court, stand when they are addressing the magistrates so the boy's solicitor, Craig Davy, sits as he tells the court that the boy has been having difficulties with his accommodation and employment.

The lad did not comply with a youth rehabilitation order and missed appointments.

"His mum was in prison at the time," says Mr Davy.

"His sister did try to remind him by Facebook but he didn't have access to Facebook at the time."

The boy's main excuse for a missed appointment seems to be that he cut his finger with a Stanley knife and went to Accident and Emergency but it was particularly busy and the finger was bleeding quite heavily.

He was told to go away, put a bandage on it and come back later.

"He spent a number of hours at A & E," says Mr Davy.

The boy was also tired from working away in Birmingham, Bolton and Scunthorpe and having to travel.

Presiding magistrate Mr Waller tells him: "I can understand you being tired and it's commendable that you are working but this is a court order.

"We have all worked for a living at some time or other. If you keep breaching, the Bench will say 'Enough's enough' and you will go to prison.

"We will just give you a stern warning. Get this order done and then you are free and finished."

The order will continue and no penalty was imposed.

TEENAGE BURGLAR IN BAGGY SHORTS GETS A CHANCE

Third into court is a 17-year-old boy wearing ill-fitting, baggy flannel shorts in washed-out-looking pale light blue and white.

He has a black hooded anorak and is wearing a baseball cap, which he finally takes off as he walks across the courtroom.

Magistrate Mr Waller promptly tells him: "Stand up straight, please."

The boy is facing a burglary charge but the plan is to divert him instead to a possible police reprimand to keep him away from the youth justice system.

His solicitor, Richard Lunn, says that the lad fell out with his auntie and she told him to leave.

He was now "living a very transient lifestyle" at a hostel.

The youth offending service says that his life is "quite chaotic" but the teenager is now at college and "is in a better place to engage".

The case is adjourned for six weeks in order for him to comply.

Mr Waller warns him: "If you don't, you will be brought back to court and things will get worse.

"Burglary is a very serious offence and you could go to prison."

Because the lad was 18, he would "go to prison straight away" and the court "would not have to jump through hoops like we do here".

The teenager cheerily replies: "Okay. Cheers for giving me a chance" - and quickly starts putting his baseball cap on as he heads out of the door.

SHEEPISH BOY IS WARNED HE FACES BEING "BEHIND BARS"

The fourth customer is a 14-year-old Immingham boy wearing a black and white Adidas T-shirt and khaki and black shorts.

He is with his mother, who is wearing a striped blouse and blue jeans.

He looks harmless enough but is in breach of his contract with the young offender panel and was not at home for various appointments.

But the youth offending service says that he is showing some positive signs.

"He is attending school at the moment, which is positive," she says.

"His behaviour at home is kind of stabilised a bit more. He has committed to me that he will prioritise appointments as well."

Presiding magistrate Mr Waller asks him: "Are you going to do as you are told? Are you going to attend?

"From here on, it gets worse if you keep breaching and reoffending.

"You are lucky that you have got what you have got.

"The more you breach, the more it goes up and then it stops and you are behind bars."

The boy sheepishly agrees to attend appointments.

Mr Waller tells his mother: "Thank you for attending, Mum, and supporting him."

(Image: GrimsbyLive)

COCKY YOUNG PHILOSOPHER MOANS THAT "THE SYSTEM'S MAD"

Next into court is a brown-haired 15-year-old Grimsby boy in a white T-shirt and jeans who seems to have a bit of an attitude.

The biggest surprise is that, this time, the one wearing completely inappropriate brown shorts, a brown T-shirt and black trainers (and predictably carrying a cap) is not the defendant but his care worker of very mature years.

Magistrate Mr Waller tells the boy: "Excuse me, take your hands out of your pockets."

The boy has also breached his contract with the youth offender panel and was not at home for visits. He refused to sign the contract.

He has apparently made a lot of progress and has "done a lot of work in anger management".

But his behaviour has deteriorated recently after "becoming involved in peer groups".

He has nothing to say for himself and Mr Waller tells him: "Don't just shrug your shoulders. Nothing to say at all? Are you going to attend your appointments?

"Are you going to sign the contract?"

The boy defiantly replies: "I don't really agree with what's in the contract."

Mr Waller tells him: "It doesn't matter whether you agree with it or not. This is a court order.

"We can go out the back and give you something more serious.

"Are you going to sign it and attend your appointments?"

The boy insists: "I just don't agree with what's in the contract."

While the magistrates go out to decide what to do, the boy turns into a fast-talking courtroom philosopher, railing against the injustices of life and declaring "The system's mad."

The appalling situation he has to endure apparently includes the police and the youth offending service.

He may be only 15 but he confesses: "All I am doing is drinking every single day."

Mr Waller later tells the lad: "What I want to get across to you is that we are not here to chew you to pieces and to crucify you.

"We are here to try to help you. I understand you have got some issues but it's a court order and you need to get it done."

He asks the boy to agree and tells him: "Smile!"

But the boy responds with the sort of grudgingly forced grimace usually reserved for villains in Humphrey Bogart gangster movies.

He saunters arrogantly out of the courtroom, leaving the burning question: Will he actually sign the agreement?

The legal adviser asks for the matter to be returned swiftly to court if he doesn't.

(Image: GrimsbyLive)

"NUISANCE" TROUBLEMAKER LEAVES JOBLESS MUM PAYING HIS £500 COURT BILL

The sorry parade of teenagers continues and next to grace the courtroom is a 15-year-old Grimsby boy wearing a navy blue hooded anorak, zipped up of course, and grey tracksuit bottoms.

He admits two assaults, involving throwing a burger wrapper and a scrunched-up burger at security guards in Freshney Place.

He also stole a moped and a bicycle.

His solicitor, Barney Murphy, says: "Basically, he's more a nuisance than anything.

"If he carries on the way he is, he is going to be losing his liberty and he appreciates that as well."

The magistrates decide to order compensation for the thefts but it will be the lad's mother who will have to stump up.

Mr Waller asks her: "How's it going to be paid, Mum?"

She looks shocked and says that she is on Universal Credit and could manage only £5 or £10 week - and even "that's a struggle".

The magistrates accept £5 a week but order a whopping £500 compensation for her son's antics.

Mr Waller says: "I'm sorry, Mum, but it's got to be paid."

He tells the boy: "If you carry on like this, you know where you are going. Learn your lesson. Stay away from the bad guys.

"Make Mum proud of you. You love your mum, I presume? It's not too late. You are putting her through hell."

He is given a one-year youth rehabilitation order, with a year's supervision, 40 hours' reparation and 10 activity days.

TEENAGER SMOKES OUTSIDE BEFORE MAKING HIS DEBUT IN COURT

There's a lunch break before the final case of the day and there are no prizes for spotting who the final customer is.

He's never appeared before a court before but seems to have read the Youth Court Defendants' Manual from cover to cover.

He is outside the building, ostentatiously smoking what looks like a roll-up while the adults with him do nothing to stop him from doing so.

He is wearing a grey sweatshirt and ruckled-up baggy grey tracksuit bottoms with colourful trainers.

He is grinning and messing about while dragging on his fag.

When he is called into the building to go into court, his solicitor, Richard Lunn, announces that the Grimsby youth has never appeared in court before.

The legal adviser helpfully tells him who everybody in court is. His sister, in a leopard print dress, is with him.

He denies handling a stolen motorcycle but admits damaging a door and possessing cannabis.

His case is adjourned for trial on the handling matter.

The magistrate tells him: "Make no mistake. These are very serious charges."

The boy is sent on his way and that's it. Another youth court finished.

You are left with the feeling that most of this lot will soon be on their way up to the adult magistrates' court.

As an experienced solicitor puts it outside the courtroom: "The problem with the youth court now is that it's the product of a previous youth court.

"It's thugs breeding thugs."

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