A YOUNG tearaway has been given a month to prove he has learned a 'hard lesson' and avoid a prison sentence.

Learner driver James Anderson was spotted by police driving 'erratically' around Shotton Colliery before speeding off and crashing his Skoda when officers tried to pull him over.

The 18-year-old spent two weeks in an adult prison on remand after failing to turn up at court and was arrested on a bench warrant, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Phillip Morley, prosecuting, said: "There was reports that the car was being driven erratically, police indicated for it to stop but failed to do so, it made a sharp turn and drove away at speed.

"The defendant lost control, he came off the road and collided with a wall. He was the sole occupant, he got out of the car and tried to run but the officers detained him at the scene."

Anderson, of Second Street, Blackhall Colliery, admitted driving without a licence or insurance, failing to stop and driving without due care and attention.

The teenager also pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of his youth rehabilitation order.

Anderson's defence barrister, Paul Cross said his client has learned a harsh lesson after being remanded in custody for two weeks where he says he was threatened and bullied.

He said: "He has been the subject of bullying, he has been threatened with having boiling water poured over him and someone threatened to slash his throat.

"The experience has really brought him to his senses."

Judge Jonathan Carroll told Anderson that he had almost run out of chances as he deferred sentence for four weeks.

"He is at the end of the line," he said. "I will adjourn for four weeks for further work to be carried out by the probation service and youth offending team, to see if they are satisfied that those two weeks in Durham prison has changed his outlook.

"I will give him four weeks to prove that he is serious and I will take a lot of persuading whether he gets his sentence suspended or not.

"It is going to be interesting to see whether, due to those 14 days in adult prison, has made him wake up and smell the coffee."

Anderson was made subject to a 9pm to 9am curfew until he is sentenced next month.