CRACK cocaine is sweeping York, a solicitor has told a city court.

John Howard made the claim as he pleaded with youth justices to lock up the client for whom he was appearing.

He said the youth wanted to be held in custody because at the age of only 16 he already had a £100-a-day habit and was desperate to escape the drug.

The teenager was a persistent law-breaker and was appearing before York Youth Court for sentence on two charges of theft and breaching an action plan imposed for an attempted shoplifting.

He also faced burglary charges which were adjourned.

His solicitor, John Howard, said the boy wanted to be locked up instead of being granted bail.

"He has amassed a substantial crack cocaine addiction at the present time, spending somewhere to the tune of £100 a day on that drug.

"Unfortunately crack cocaine is something which is sweeping this city at this present time and (the boy) is one of the victims.

"In order to be put back on the straight again, he has to be incarcerated to hopefully be able to withdraw from the addiction."

But Detective Inspector Ian Wills, head of the drugs squad in North Yorkshire, today insisted the drug was not as prevalent as had been suggested.

He said: "There is crack cocaine in North Yorkshire, but it is not a massive problem. Crack cocaine is spreading from the major cities and some has been seized in the county. We are anxious to deal with the problem, but it is not an enormous problem here. It would be wrong to say it is sweeping York."

Youth justices gave the boy a four-month detention and training order to protect the public from him. He has a string of previous convictions, mostly for dishonesty.

After hearing from the York Youth Offending Team, justices asked for him to be put under intensive surveillance and supervision for two months after his release from custody under a new anti-crime scheme which started this month.

The boy, from north York, pleaded guilty to stealing a £150 mountain bicycle from York Railway Station, theft of a £179.99 phone from BT Phone Shop and the action plan breach.

Valerie McMinn, prosecuting, said he was caught on CCTV stealing the phone.

Staff at York Railway Station had detained the boy as he was riding the stolen bicycle which police had noticed parked unlocked at the station an hour earlier.

And staff at a camera store had stopped him as he tried to steal a camera.

Updated: 10:17 Friday, October 19, 2001