A WOULD-BE soldier who racially abused a family and drove a stolen car has been given a 12-month referral order by Swindon Youth Court.

The 15-year-old, who had no previous convictions, had taken bad decisions and realised his hopes of joining the military would be dashed if he was still subject to it when he reached 17, the bench was told.

Anna Humphreys, prosecuting, said a man and his family were suffering racial abuse from a group of youths who congregated in a play area near their home in Walcot.

On one occasion as they were getting into their car one cycled past the vehicle, stopped in front of it and kicked the bumper. When the man got out he was shouted at. The youth then got off his bike and hit the bonnet with a spanner, repeatedly calling the man a “Paki.”

The victim’s teenage daughter was also verbally abused by two youths on bikes who kept taunting her with the same derogatory name.

When he was interviewed by police he gave no comment.

The boy, who cannot be named because he is under 18, pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying out racially aggravated harassment without violence against the family between October 14 and November 1.

He also admitted driving a Mini Cooper that had been taken without the owner’s consent, driving without a licence and having no insurance.

The prosecutor said the owners of the Mini believed it was locked when they left it parked in Penhill on August 5. They then realised they could no longer find the keys so returned to their home in Wroughton to fetch the spare, having seen the vehicle was still locked.

They returned and were in a friend’s house when they looked out to see a group loitering near the car and heard laughing. As they ran out of the door they saw it being driven off.

Getting into another car they followed but lost sight of it,” said Ms Humphreys. A passer-by gave them information and they eventually found the car stopped outside Swindon Academy. The person inside ran off but other people told them his identity.

When he was interviewed by police he admitted driving the car but claimed he was not the person who took it and that he was not responsible for the damage that was caused to it.

Ben Worthington, defending, said: “He is thoroughly ashamed he has lost his good character. These matters seem to be unfortunate and bad decisions by him.

“Since these offences he has been prevented from seeing the people that he was offending with. It seems to be having an effect.”

He denied taking the car but did get in and drive it a short distance. He also accepted that the harassment was a particularly stupid thing to do.

Mr Worthington added: “He has been told that they would not touch him if he was subject to any form of order. He wants to do some mechanics in the military and he has been told that this is his only opportunity and that if he keeps offending it will not happen.”

After hearing that the other youth involved in the harassment had been given a nine-month referral and a restraining order, the bench decided to hand him a year long referral, six penalty points and a restraining order preventing him from going to the family’s street for nine months.