A 17-year-old from York was critically ill today after trying to hang himself at Wetherby Young Offenders' Institution.

The teenager, who was sentenced by Selby Youth Court on Monday for a string of offences, was found hanging by his boot laces in his cell last night.

Staff tried to resuscitate him and he was taken to Harrogate District Hospital, where he was today in a critical condition. It is understood he is on a life support machine.

A prison service spokesman said the teenager was discovered hanging from a ligature made of his boot laces and tied to his cell window at 7.45pm.

Staff carried out resuscitation before he was taken to hospital at 8.05pm. The youth was sentenced on Monday to five months at the Institution after he admitted ten offences, including aggravated taking of a vehicle without the owners' consent, driving without a licence and without insurance, handling stolen goods and possession of a controlled drug.

His distraught father last night hit out at the sentence, claiming his son's solicitor had begged magistrates to give him community service or probation instead.

He told the Evening Press his son had severe learning difficulties and in his opinion, should not have been at a young offenders' institution because of such problems.

Lucy Byrne, the solicitor who represented the teenager at court, today confirmed she had pressed for probation because of his severe learning difficulties.

"I thought it was a very harsh sentence," she said.

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