A teenager who threw a bottle at a police horse was told by a judge he was being given “the biggest chance in your life” after being spared jail.

The 16-year-old boy - who cannot be identified due to his age - accompanied by his mother, had admitted violent disorder by throwing a bottle at a police horse during widescale trouble in Bolton town centre last month.

Bolton was among dozens of towns and cities saw violence erupt following the killing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport on July 29.

The case concerning the teenager was heard before district Judge Joanne Hirst at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard the youngster’s father had died and his mother, who accompanied him to court, was having treatment for cancer.

The boy was asked by the judge: “What were you thinking?”

The boy replied: “I was not really thinking anything. We came into town and everything just erupted. Adrenaline. I’m disgusted with myself.”

The youngster’s mother told the court: “He’s frightened to death of going to prison. I think this has been a massive wake-up call.”

The judge warned the youngster he had narrowly avoided custody and instead gave him a 12-month referral order with intensive supervision and a curfew.

She added: “It was mindless violence. I’m going to give you a chance. This is the biggest chance in your life that you will get.”

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Meanwhile, in another case in the same court, the mum of one of Britain’s youngest criminals involved in the riots was summonsed by a judge after missing her 12-year-old son’s court appearance to go on holiday to Ibiza.

Judge Hirst said she was “frankly astonished” that the boy’s mother had decided to fly abroad for a five-day sunshine break, with her son due in court having admitted two counts of violent disorder.

She adjourned sentencing of the boy and ordered a parental summons so the mother must appear before the court to explain herself.

The boy cannot be identified due to his age.

The youngster, who was accompanied to court by his uncle, had earlier admitted being part of a mob that attacked a bus outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Manchester on Wednesday, July 31.

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Days later on Saturday, August 3, in Manchester city centre, he was part of a group filmed kicking the windows of a vape shop and throwing a missile at a police van.

District Judge Hirst was told the boy’s mother was not present, having booked a holiday in July and gone abroad on Sunday and was only due to fly back to the UK on Thursday, missing his sentencing hearing on Monday.

She thanked the boy’s uncle for accompanying his nephew to court in his mother’s absence, but added: “One day before the hearing we find out the mum has gone on holiday and is not with her son who played a greater part in the recent civil disorder than any adult or child I’ve seen coming through these courts.

“I’m frankly astonished.

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“I will require a full explanation from mum on her decision to go on holiday one day before her 12-year-old son comes to court facing a potential custodial sentence.

“This is a serious situation, it has now deteriorated in my view because of the actions of the mother.

“She is on notice, I will be challenging her about this decision.”

Addressing the boy as she adjourned sentencing to September 11, Judge Hirst told him: “Boys like you need their mums in their lives. I need your mum here.”