A BOY who broke into a school to shelter from the rain has appeared in court.

The 12-year-old from Darlington was one of a group of youths who broke into Springfield Primary School.

During the course of the break-in, one of the boys defecated in a bin in the school library.

The 12-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Darlington Magistrates' Court yesterday to entering the school without permission and causing a nuisance or annoyance.

Ciaran Grogan, said the incident took place on a Saturday, at about 5pm, when police were alerted to lights being on in the school library.

When they entered the library they found the four boys who said they had got in through a boarded-up window for a cigarette and a drink as it was wet and cold outside.

Mr Grogan said: "They had a bit of a mess around but there was no damage.

"Somebody had put a carrier bag in a school bin and defecated in the bin, there was no suggestion that it was this boy."

Michael Clarke, mitigating, said: "It's quite significant that he was not charged with burglary.

"It's not suggested that he stole anything or that he intended to steal anything, or cause any damage to the premises."

Magistrates sentenced the boy to a six-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £30 costs.