A youth with an "attitude" pleaded guilty to stealing $225 yesterday in Magistrates' Court and was sentenced to two years in a correctional facility.

The court heard that Sherwon Leanard Ible, 16, of Christopher Close, Devonshire, is so disruptive that his grandparents - who have been caring for him - no longer want him in their home.

Magistrate Carlisle Greaves read from a social inquiry report which said Ible had been known to steal from his entire family - as well as the general community - and was completely without remorse.

"You have an attitude - big time," said Mr. Greaves.

Both the boy's parents and grandparents distanced themselves from him in the social inquiry report.

The report said he stole money during a break-and-entering and later told a Probation officer he did it to get money to go to the Ag Show.

"I thought that was important at the time," Magistrate Greaves read out, quoting the boy.

Explaining another offence the boy told a Probation officer he's been bored.

He broke into his neighbour's house because he did not have his key.

"They knew it was me because I stole their bike and I was riding around on it," Mr. Greaves quoted the boy from the report. "I didn't care."

He later threatened to "beat" the Probation officer.

"You think you can beat someone," Mr. Greaves asked the small statured teen.

Mr. Greaves said that Ible's mother described him as "spoiled rotten" in the report.

As soon as he turned 16, he told his caretakers they could not boss him around and promptly went out and stole a boat.

The boy was also thrown out of three schools for his bad behaviour.

And his grandfather recently suffered a heart attack, which the family believes is partially as a result of having to deal with the teen.

The social inquiry report stated that Ible had not visited his grandfather since he became ill.

Magistrate Greaves quoted the boy's grandmother on the effect he had had on the family.

"He really hurts our feelings," she said. "There's no reason for him to do the things he's done."

"I don't want to say nothing," said the boy when asked if he wanted to comment to the court.

On sentencing, Mr. Greaves said the boy's record as a repeat offender and his "blatant lack of remorse" necessitated a custodial sentence.

Mr. Greaves said the community must be protected from the boy who has no respect for privacy or property.

In addition to protecting the community, however, Mr. Greaves said he wanted to protect the boy himself "from the volatile path he is now on".

He sentenced the boy to two years in a corrective facility.

"Maybe by the time you come out, you'll have grown up a little bit," he said.