TEENAGER Thomas Crowley has been convicted of breaching his anti-social behaviour order by throwing stones at cars.But magistrates acquitted the 17-year-old of setting a wheelie bin alight saying the damage was caused by four youths and there was no evidence Crowley had personally lit the fire.

TEENAGER Thomas Crowley has been convicted of breaching his anti-social behaviour order by throwing stones at cars.

But magistrates acquitted the 17-year-old of setting a wheelie bin alight saying the damage was caused by four youths and there was no evidence Crowley had personally lit the fire.

They decided to give him a chance after hearing the troubled teen was doing well with the youth offending team who described him as "very polite" and "co-operative."

They also heard that Crowley was about to start a job at a chocolate factory.

Bench chairwoman Diane Hunt told him: "It is time to sort yourself out.

"You are lucky you have got a supportive family and you have a lot going for you.

"Continue down the right path and stop going down the wrong path."

Crowley had denied causing the blaze in the area of Queens Way on June 10 and throwing stones, which put him in breach of his Asbo imposed in 11 November last year.

After the one-day trial he was sentenced to a three-month curfew order, which runs from 9 pm to 6 am.

Godfried Duah, prosecuting, described how Crowley had been spotted throwing stones at cars after midnight.

Giving evidence Crowley claimed he was in bed at his home in Shackleton Road at the time and had also seen some boys setting light to the bin from his window.

Hester Waddams, mitigating, told how Crowley was a "scapegoat for ill will in the community he lives in".

She added it was "insanity" that someone made subject to an anti-social behaviour order would set a bin alight.

South East Suffolk Magistrates were told Crowley was trying to put the past behind him.

"He has had a difficult adolescent and has been trying to get over it," said Ms Waddams.

"He does not want to be convicted of something he is not responsible of as he is trying to adhere to his anti-social behaviour order."

The Evening Star successfully applied for an application to lift the automatic ban on naming Crowley.

Magistrates allowed The Star to publish Crowley's name on grounds that his identity was already in the public domain and due to government guidelines on Asbos.

On top of his curfew order Crowley was also ordered to pay £60 towards prosecution costs.