A 17-year-old wept after being sent to the Co-ed Facility for breaching his probation after his mother told the Supreme Court she was sick of his excuses.

Lorenzo Simmons, of Harlem Heights Road, had been convicted in May 1999 for a breaking and entering offence five months earlier in which he stole $1,500.

But in Supreme Court on Monday his exasperated mother Althea Iris said her son needed discipline and structure.

She said that although her son would resent her intervention it was important he got the help he needed before it was too late.

She said: "It won't be any good that I spoke up on his behalf and he ends up dead or in prison in New York.'' She said: "I have seen some changes but I am not very impressed.

"His rebelliousness is subtle, that's why he has slipped through all these years. He definitely has a problem with attitude when things go against him.

"He doesn't have any social skills other than at soccer -- he can manage to be on time for that.'' Mrs. Iris explained that her son was having a bad effect on her other two children.

She added: "The Co-ed Facility will probably have him, hopefully.'' And the probation officer told the court that when he asked Simmons for any reason why he should give him another chance Simmons was unable to reply.

Simmons was given two years probation in October, 1999 but had broken this by failing to stick to curfews or appointments with probation officers and youth counsellors, failing to keep a job, keeping someone's pedal cycle against their will and stealing money from his family.

Chief Justice Austin Ward committed Simmons to the Co-ed Facility where he will serve nine months to three years.