A BRAMPTON family were left so terrified by a teenager’s threat to petrol-bomb their home that they asked firefighters to fit their front door with a fire-proof letterbox.

The ordeal faced by the couple - who have small children - was outlined at Carlisle's Rickergate youth court after the 17-year-old responsible for the threat admitted using threatening behaviour.

Prosecutor Peter Bardsley described how the youth made the threats after encountered the woman who was his victim in a Brampton street.

She expressed concern that he had made unpleasant allegations about her and her partner to a health professional, suggesting that they had taken drugs.

He responded by being verbally abusive, telling her : "I'll get your house petrol-bombed with you and your kids in it."

The teenager also threatened violence, threatening to punch her partner and again threatening to smash her windows. A short time later, he again threatened violence and vowed to smash her house windows.

When police arrested the youth, he said there was a feud between him and a relative of the victim's. "As a result of that," said Mr Bardsley, "he said that they had it in for him.

"He has pleaded guilty to this matter on the day of the trial.

"The victims have taken this seriously because they have had their letterbox fireproofed. They have had a letterbox installed by the fire service which can be locked each night." This was to prevent persons from posting items - including petrol bombs - through them.

The lawyer then outlined the youths history of criminal convictions.

He was last before the court on December 17 for assaulting a police officer, while in August he was convicted of an assault causing actual bodily harm.

The teenager had also been subjected to a Criminal Behaviour Order in August, though since then he had breached this a number of times, said Mr Bardsley.

Anthony Wilson, for the youth, said: "He has pleaded guilty to one matter and accepts that he was abusive and threatening towards them.

"Some words came back the other way as well. He accepts that he made a threat, and pleaded guilty rapidly."

The lawyer said that there was no objection to the restraining order that the Crown Prosecution Service wished to have imposed, preventing the teenager from contacting the couple he threatened.

The News & Star asked the court to allow identification of the youth, arguing that this would give the community where he lives greater protection from his bad behaviour, and act as a deterrent to other youths who might also misbehave.

But magistrates refused. The teenager will be sentenced on January 8.