Teenager burglars paint instead of going to jail

A new 'soft justice' row erupted last night as it emerged teenage burglars are being told to paint posters instead of going to jail.

The punishment, handed out by Youth Offending Teams (YOTs), is to draw pictures of the items they would like to steal. The posters are then put on public display so terrified householders know which items to hide from view in case burglars strike.

Alternative 'restorative justice' projects for teenage tearaways include spending two weeks painting a mural of a 'country scene' on the side of a warehouse.

But Norman Brennan, director of the Victims of Crime Trust, said: 'Who comes up with these barmy, crazy ideas?'