A TEENAGER accused of aggravated burglary breached his bail conditions because he did not want to go to a dog show.

The 14-year-old boy, who cannot be named because of his age, was brought to magistrates sitting in Swindon on Monday after he failed to comply with his electronic tag requirements of staying indoors from 8pm to 7am every day.

Officers found him at an address in Swindon after he was reported missing over the weekend.

The youngster, who is on conditional bail given by Swindon Crown Court, admitted the breach and told the court: “It was a stupid mistake. I didn’t mean the breach. I got angry because they were trying to force me into going to a dog show, which isn’t really my thing as you can imagine.”

The boy is to face trial on August 1 at Swindon Crown Court along with three others for aggravated burglary earlier this year, the hearing was told.

Michelle Hewitt, prosecuting, said: “It is a blatant breach of crown court bail. He must be indoors by 8pm. He was reported as a missing person and at about 9.30am on Sunday a police officer attended [an address in Swindon] and the officer was invited in and [the boy] was there and arrested for not complying with his curfew.

“He has these conditions currently put in place to stop him reoffending and for his own protection.”

Mark Glendenning, defending the boy, said: “He has a previous bail address in Swindon, some way away from where he is living now from his friends and family. The lad was in court on Friday and the bail conditions were imposed.

“He has learnt his lesson and knows he shouldn’t be at the address in Swindon. Ma'am, I think if you send him off with a stiff warning ringing in his ears it would be sufficient. He missed his family.”

A member of the county’s Youth Offending Team also said the teenager had attended appointments on time and he should be given a second chance but be warned of the severity if he were to breach his bail again.

Chairman of the bench Viv Street decided not to punish the teenager and released him on bail again with the same conditions until August.