A MAGISTRATE ignored a solicitor's plea to be lenient towards a violent teenager as a birthday treat.Instead Ipswich magistrates sentenced the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to four months' youth custody.

A MAGISTRATE ignored a solicitor's plea to be lenient towards a violent teenager as a birthday treat.

Instead Ipswich magistrates sentenced the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to four months' youth custody.

The Felixstowe teenager, who has a string of previous convictions, admitted charges of damaging a car and assaulting its driver on January 7.

After explaining the defendant had got a new job Neil Saunders, defending, said: "It is his birthday and he could be celebrating with a new job and a new sheet.

"If he keeps this sheet clean that's fine but if not and he commits another offence he knows it will be custody for him."

Hearing the case on March 30 the presiding magistrate, Fenella Blastland, ruled that instead of being able to celebrate the rest of his birthday and start the new job the youth would be locked up.

She said: "We have weighed up a number of things including the events themselves and a violent background and have decided we have to give a custodial sentence.

"The assault was a deliberate act causing cuts to the victims body using both hands and feet to inflict those injuries."

A separate assault charge was dropped.