A TEENAGE rapist has been taken into council care after being accused of harassing his own mother.

The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of demanding money from his mother, launching a foul-mouthed tirade at her in a supermarket and hounding her at work.

The teenager had admitted rape and was on bail, provided he lived at his mother’s home in a village near New-haven.

He is due to appear before Lewes Crown Court on March 27 to be sentenced for the rape committed last May.

But his mother called the police about his behaviour four times in three months.

The youth has now been charged with harassment between January 1 and March 9 and his mother is refusing to allow him back to the family home. Youth offending workers told magistrates in Brighton yesterday that due to his rape conviction, and his mother refusing to allow him home, they could not safely look after him in the community and “withdrew their support” for him.

Despite warnings he would probably have to live in a B&B, magistrates remanded him into the custody of East Sussex social services.

Explaining the allegations against the boy, Martina Sherlock prosecuting said: “At the start of the year his mother had taken him to a youth offending appointment. As they left he began hassling her for money.

“She went into Tesco and he continued demanding money. She went back to the youth offending offices for help.

“He tried to stop her by putting his hands on her shoulders.

“Two weeks later he followed her into Sainsbury’s shouting after her.

“She approached a PCSO saying she couldn’t face him.

“On another occasion she had to call the police to the home address because he was demanding money of her and spat in her face.

“He followed her to her work and sits at the bar hassling her while she’s trying to serve customers.”

Miss Sherlock said the youth had called his mother offensive names.

She added: “His mother has said there is no way she can keep his bail condition and she doesn’t want him back at the home address.

“She has described him as unbearable from the moment he gets up in the morning.”

The boy will be tried for harassment at Brighton Magistrate’s Court on April 30 and will be sentenced for rape on March 27.