RAY MALLON last night blamed "a huge establishment failure" for the death of an eight-year-old boy knocked down by a teenage joy-rider who had a long history of offending.

The Mayor of Middlesbrough said the Government was "clueless" when it came to dealing with anti-social behaviour.

He called for the parents of young tearaways, such as 16-year-old Ashley Lindo, of Middlesbrough - who was convicted last week of killing Daniel Conroy Curtin - to be prosecuted for failing to keep their children under control.

Mr Mallon's criticism came as Tony Blair chose in his first interview since his summer holiday to talk about his plans to tackle menace children.

Mr Mallon met Daniel's mother, Clare Conroy, yesterday, soon after she had learned that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has decided not to appeal against the three-year sentence given to Lindo for dangerous driving.

"I have examined Daniel's case in some detail and have concluded that there has been a huge establishment failure," said Mr Mallon, who was courted by Mr Blair to stand as a Labour candidate in Hartlepool in the 2004 by-election

"This Government has pussy-footed around for long enough trying to keep everyone happy. Now is the time for it to say what it thinks.

"It is, frankly, clueless when it comes to law and order."

Lindo was known to the authorities for at least three years before he killed Daniel by driving a car at him as he played on parkland. He had an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) and two supervision orders for dangerous driving.

"Criminals start their careers on street corners and move on," said Mr Mallon.

"Lindo progressed until he killed someone.

"The Government trumpets about Asbos' success, but it doesn't seem to realise that they have to make sure that they work."

He called for the Government to encourage police forces to tackle anti-social behaviour through the use of performance indicators.

Mr Mallon added: "Lindo's mother has said that she blames the system for what has happened. She should also take a great deal of responsibility, as should the father, who has just himself come out of prison.

"If a person owns a dog which hurts someone in the street, the owner is prosecuted.

"Parents have ownership over their children and they should be prosecuted in the same way."

Mr Mallon called for a commission to be set up to create new offences that the police can use to tackle low-level anti-social behaviour before a criminal's career takes off.

The former policeman, famed for his zero tolerance approach, said potential criminals could be identified in the womb - an idea Mr Blair repeated yesterday when he talked about a new drive to tackle troublemakers.

Mr Mallon was backed by 30-year-old Ms Conroy, of Ayresome Street, Middlesbrough.

She said: "He is the only person to actually listen to us. I know nothing will ever bring Daniel back, but all we want is justice."

A protest against Lindo's sentence is being planned outside Teesside Crown Court next week.

Ms Conroy added: "It is just telling kids it is okay to steal a car and kill someone because you will be free in under two years.

"The CPS has told me it will not be appealing against the sentence but I will continue to fight - that is the only way we are going to be able to start the grieving process."

But Mr Mallon said: "The sentence that Judge Peter Fox imposed cannot be criticised. He would have to take into account the age of the offender and how he had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

"The culprit here is the Home Office, and the Lord Chancellor's office, which draws up these guidelines.

"I do question whether dangerous driving was the correct charge against Lindo, as it is appropriate to roads and not to playing areas like the one where Daniel met his death.

"I believe a charge of manslaughter would have been more appropriate."

Ms Conroy gave Mr Mallon a 600-name petition calling for security cameras to be installed in Riverside Park, where the accident happened.

But Mr Mallon said: "It's a vast area. We have to think what would deal with the problem best, and I think the right kind of obstacles and posts to stop people driving on there in the first place would be more effective."

He is also to review all of Middlesbrough's green spaces which, he said, could be plagued by lawless drivers of motorbikes and cars.

The CPS was unavailable for comment.