Girl, 16, an 'out of control terror'

A schoolgirl convicted of a string of offences in three court cases was yesterday described by a magistrate as 'completely out of control' and a terror to her family.

The 16-year-old repeatedly bashed her mother with a shoe, stole music and video CDs from a music store and took belongings from youngsters at a youth centre.

In an earlier court appearance, she admitted five charges of theft and one of assault.

Before sentencing, Magistrate Garry Tallentire called for probation reports to help her, but the surveys spoke unfavourably of the girl - the youngest of six in the family.

'You have been terrorising your family and are completely out of control,' Mr Tallentire said. 'You have stolen goods from home and have been violent at home.' He listed a series of incidents including assaulting her sisters and pouring bleach in their drinks, and wondered if she had psychological problems.

The girl was charged with assaulting her mother on June 27 when she stepped in to settle a row between the girl and her sister, 19.

Angry with her sister for using her shampoo and accusing her mother of favouritism, she hit her mother four times on the head with a shoe. The 51-year-old was sent to hospital with a bleeding forehead.

On July 30, the girl stole from two youngsters at a youth centre in Shau Kei Wan. On August 24, she stole two VCDs and two CDs at three HMV stores in Causeway Bay and Central within three hours.

Mr Tallentire remanded her at Siu Lam psychiatric centre until October 16 for further reports.