THE mother of a 14-year-old thief spoke out about teenage peer pressure when her son appeared in court.

Poole Youth Court heard the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was one of two youths who stole a pedal cycle worth £280 from Pokesdown station in Bournemouth in September last year.

His mum told the court: “He is good deep down but I think he gets in with the wrong crowd.

“It is hard for teenage boys with the peer pressure because they get bullied if they don’t join in – he’s been bullied before.

“If he was around different people he would maybe not have been in that situation. He was very nervous coming to court today.”

When asked about the offence, the boy said: “There is not a lot I can say – it was not a good idea and I was pressured into it.

“I am here to take the consequences innit.”

The court heard he and another boy were seen on CCTV tampering with the lock before they got on a train with the bike.

The boy, from Bournemouth, was given a referral order and ordered to pay £140 compensation after admitting theft of a pedal cycle.

He said he has not seen the bike since the day it was stolen and that he did not benefit financially.