The 17-year-old initially denied any knowledge of the incident when he was arrested, claiming he was asleep in bed, but admitted aggravated vehicle taking when he appeared before South Tyneside Youth Court.

Veronica Jordan, prosecuting, told magistrates how police were called to an address in Biddick Hall, South Shields, and found a white Iveco vehicle had crashed through a garden wall.

She added: "There was no driver present. But on August 17 a witness contacted the police and said they had had a conversation with the youth and he told them how he had nicked a van from Biddick Hall."

The court heard how the South Shields teenager drove the truck a short distance before he lost control and jumped out of the driving seat.

Rene Lamb, 83, was asleep at her Orwell Close bungalow when the van crashed through her garden wall on August 12.

It stopped inches from her bedroom window, only coming to a halt after a section of wall got stuck under its wheels.

Vic Laffey, defending, told the court how his client accepted his involvement in the matter.

He said: "He accepts he got into the vehicle and started it. He then panicked when it appeared to be 'getting away' from him.

"He must be disqualified from driving, but he is in no position to offer any compensation."

Chairman of the bench Jeff Usher sentenced the youth to four months in a detention training centre – which could later be reduced or extended, depending on his behaviour.

As the youth burst into tears and was taken away, Mr Usher added: "We are genuinely sorry. We take no fun in doing this.

"But what you did was seriously extreme and could have caused damage to the public and yourself."