A teenager who damaged cars after being thrown out of a football match has been fined.

The 17-year-old, from Darlington, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Darlington Youth Court yesterday to two counts of criminal damage.

The court was told the youth kicked the two cars in a fit of temper after he was thrown out of a Darlington Football Club match.

He had gone to the game with a group of friends, who had been drinking on Boxing Day last year.

While he was in the toilet a fight broke out with his friends and they were ejected from the ground.

When he returned to his seat, he too was thrown out, despite not being involved in the fight.

The youth's solicitor, Stephen Andrews, said he had seen closed-circuit television footage of the incident.

He said: "He had not been drinking. He gets put out of the ground and gets hit as well.

"He is angered with his friends. He is upset that as a result of their behaviour, he has been put out of the ground.

"In pure frustration he is seen to kick out at the two cars."

District judge Michael Wood said he understood why the youth had got annoyed, but it did not excuse his behaviour.

He sentenced the teenager to a three-month referral order and fined him £100.