Judge spares thug, 18, who terrorised a neighbourhood for five months… in defiance of 100 victims who signed petition asking for him to be evicted from the community

• Adam Repton, 18, stole cars, broke into homes and threatened to kill locals
• Repton was arrested and the case went to trial at Manchester Crown Court 
• But the judge,  Anthony Cross, QC, has given Repton a second chance
• ‘Don’t throw that chance back in my face,’ Judge Cross warned the teenager

After being terrorised by teenage thug Adam Repton for five months, his neighbours decided to act.

More than 100 signed a petition demanding the 18-year-old – who stole their cars, broke into their homes and threatened to kill them – be evicted from their community.

And they were delighted when police arrested him for offences linked to his crimewave in the Manchester suburb of Moston and locked him up.

But yesterday many were wondering why they bothered – after a judge refused to jail Repton, saying he deserved a second chance.

Local councillor Pat Karney said ‘brave residents’ would struggle to understand why he had been allowed to go free with a two-year suspended jail term.

One local said: ‘He has stolen a car and threatened to stab someone and still doesn’t get jailed. What does he have to do?’

Judge Anthony Cross, QC, said that given the 18-year-old thug had been in custody since his arrest and had no previous convictions, he would give him a second chance, but warned ‘don’t throw that chance back in my face’ leaving local residents bemused

Manchester Crown Court heard that Repton’s bad behaviour began last June when he and a gang of friends tried to steal a car from a family in nearby Oldham.

He later threatened to stab a man before hijacking his vehicle, and broke into two blocks of flats in the dead of night, trashing communal areas and electricity monitors, causing £7,000 of damage.

Repton also pulled a knife on another neighbour, who confronted him about scratching and spitting on his van, before telling him: ‘I am going to stab you, your mum and your son.’

The resident told the court: ‘His mum seems to have no control over him and this situation is affecting the quality of the lives of my family and our neighbours.’

Repton was eventually arrested after being found injured at a bus station in October. But he ran away from officers in hospital and was later found hiding in the loft at his home. By then 100 people had signed a petition and sent it to Northwards Housing Association asking for Repton to be kicked out of the area.

In a statement the association said many residents were scared to leave their homes because of Repton and his gang of hooded friends hanging around outside.

Manchester Crown Court heard that Adam Repton, 18, had terrorised neighbours by stealing their cars, breaking into their homes and even threatened to kill them – to the point where 100 local residents had signed a petition to expel him from the community

Judge Anthony Cross, QC, told Repton he and his friends had made people’s lives ‘a misery’ and admitted his victims would ‘expect me to send you to jail’. But he said that Repton, who had been in custody since his arrest, had no previous convictions and so he was giving him a ‘chance’.

‘Don’t throw that chance back in my face,’ the judge warned.

Repton admitted attempted theft, theft, handling stolen goods, burglary, criminal damage, dangerous driving, driving with no insurance, possession of a blade and escape from lawful custody.

He was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to wear an electronic tag and abide by a three-month 7pm-7am curfew. 

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