A TEENAGER who was handed a suspended jail sentence after striking his mother with an ornament has refused to do any more unpaid work because of bullies, a court heard.

Paul Harvey, 18, has only completed 46 of the 120 hours unpaid community work he was given as part of his sentence for the assault on April 25 this year.

He has, however, successfully completed a three month night-time curfew he was also made subject to.

Explaining the situation in regard to the unpaid work, his barrister Duncan McReddie told Teesside Crown Court: “It is not that he is unwilling to do the work, it is because he is not willing to go and be subject to bullying and harassment any longer.

“That is the nub of the issue.”

Mr McReddie said his client, who admitted breaching the order, had complained to the probation service and made it clear why he was no longer attending.

Judge Peter Bowers said those doing the alleged bullying needed to be identified which would allow the service to make alternative arrangements for Harvey.

He said: “There must be an alternative [work] group he could join.”

The judge adjourned the case and said Harvey, of Parliament Road, Middlesbrough, would return to be sentenced on November 20.