Parents take son to court

A teenager has been hauled to court by his parents after holding a party that caused almost $3000 damage.

Thomas Benton, 17, appeared before the New Plymouth District Court on Friday in connection with the incident last month, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

His parents Gary and Lillian were away for the weekend when he and four mates cleaned out $800 worth of alcohol and left a trail of vomit and blood through the house.

A man who answered the phone at the Benton house yesterday said the family did not want to talk about the incident.

The News reported Benton had been told specifically to not go into the house but Judge Allan Roberts said he and his "filthy mates" cut up a garden hose to smoke dope. "And you didn't have the grace to apologise."

They also burned out the engine of a car owned by a friend of Benton's parents after taking it on a joyride to Auckland.

Benton pleaded guilty to theft and unlawfully taking the car and was sentenced to 100 hours' community work.

His lawyer Julian Hannam said he was a "foolish young man" but had returned to school in Wellington and wanted to repay his parents.

Judge Roberts said Benton was manipulative and deceitful.

Benton's mother wrote a victim impact statement to the court but was supporting him on Friday.

On top of the community work, Benton was also ordered to pay $2856 to his mother for the theft of the alcohol and damage to the house and car.

"I won't be so lenient if there is a next time," Judge Roberts said.