THE mother of a teenager badly injured in a road accident has won a judge's backing in her fight to make the local council fully assess his special needs.

The 16-year-old, from Stockton, Teesside, suffered severe head injuries in the accident wheh he was nine. He has been left with problems affecting his mental speed, learning ability and memory.

Stockton Borough Council issued a care plan in June last year, promising a period of assessment and rehabilitation to find out his needs and how they could be met.

But the youngster's counsel, Bryan Cox, told the High Court, in London, on Tuesday that the assessment had never materialised because of a lack of council funds.

The boy's mother applied for permission to seek a judicial review of the council's alleged failure to proceed with the assessment.

Mr Cox told Justice Richards that the council had a duty to provide appropriate services for the youngster, under the provisions of the Children Act 1989.

"The council is not entitled to rely on a lack of funds to justify its failure to carry out a comprehensive assessment," he said.

The judge ruled that the mother's complaints were arguable, opening the way for a full review of the case.

But he directed that the hearing should not take place for three months in the hope the dispute could be resolved.

A spokeswoman for Stockton council said: "We are pursuing every avenue to ensure that this boy receives the appropriate assessment to meet his needs without the need for further legal review.