A TEENAGE boy from Ely who failed to attend meetings for his referral order on eight occasions told Ely Youth Court he was forced to live in a shed with minimal food. Sue Deeves of the Youth Offender s Service said the boy, who is 17 and now lives in Soh

A TEENAGE boy from Ely who failed to attend meetings for his referral order on eight occasions told Ely Youth Court he was forced to live in a shed with minimal food.

Sue Deeves of the Youth Offender's Service said the boy, who is 17 and now lives in Soham, was forced to live in the shed by his mother with whom he had a turbulent relationship. He was given the original referral order for stealing his mother's ring, valued at £200, which was later returned. The boy said he failed to attend court as he was unable to live with his father and was sleeping on friends' floors.

Magistrate Maggie Holling commended the boy for changing his life around, given his background. Scrapping the referral order, she ordered him to pay £20 for the original offence.