YOUTH workers have raised concerns that a 13-year-old boy's offending is escalating after he appeared in court on a string of charges including robbery, possession of a knife and a racially aggravated incident.

The teen – who cannot be named for legal reasons – appeared before magistrates sitting in Swindon on Tuesday charged with a number of offences from last year, including stealing another boy’s mountain bike and being in possession of a Stanley knife. He was further charged with sending a threatening message to a girl on Instagram, a racially aggravated incident and obstructing a police officer, all of which he pleaded guilty to.

The boy has been on bail with a number of restrictions, including being at home between the hours of 6pm and 6am and an order not to go near a secondary school or contact any of the witnesses.

The magistrates heard the boy had been in court at least twice on grounds of breaching his bail conditions.

Defending him, Mark Glendinning said: “It is a concern to all, including mum, that he is in this trouble. I would ask for an adjournment for a report to be prepared on him.”

The Youth Offending Team agreed there were concerns over the teen’s behaviour. Julie Coleman said: “We are very, very concerned these offences are escalating in seriousness, there probably isn’t a day where his name isn’t mentioned in some form or another and we don’t know enough about him."

The boy denies further allegations of threatening behaviour and being in possession of a meat cleaver.

He will appear in court again on February 9 for sentencing, while a date will be set for trial for the allegations he has pleaded not guilty to.