A teenager was likened to a "super villain" yesterday in Magistrates' Court after using his talents to stay on the wrong side of the law.

Stevon Swan Richardson, of Loyalty Estate, in Somerset, failed to meet the conditions of a probation order designed to help him turn his life around.

The 17-year-old was found guilty of stealing some chicken and rice from a local business on April 8. He was ordered to serve two years' probation but has since shown a "blatant disregard for his court order", said Magistrate Juan Wolffe.

Swan Richardson said he couldn't meet with his probation officer as it was dangerous for him to travel to the Court Services office, located in "Parkside" territory. The teenager told the court he had "beef" with the gang and something could have "popped off" if he set foot inside Pembroke.

Yet after speaking with the teen's probation officer Mr. Wolffe maintained the young man's story didn't add up.

"I am not buying what you are selling. This whole thing about not coming to town and not being able to contact your probation officer, I don't accept it because there is this thing that was invented a few years ago called a phone.

"I am sure if you wanted to interact with your boys you would find a way. You never gave Probation Services the chance to assist you in that regard, you just didn't show up.

"This whole thing is a shame because you are wasting your talent, you clearly have the gift of gab, that means you speak well, you are articulate. But you are using all your talent for evil. You are like a super villain."

The magistrate told the aspiring computer technician: "You have done a stupid thing, but you are not a stupid person. You do not need this here. You shouldn't be going through this here.

"A person who has so much ability, so much potential, so much going for himself, you are just going to throw that in the trash."

Mr. Wolffe revoked the teen's probation order and sentenced him to three months' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

This means Swan Richardson must stay out of trouble for the next year or will risk having the three-month prison sentence activated.