A FORMER London gang member hit a young Selby woman by riding a scooter at her as she held the hand of a four-year-old child, York Youth Court heard.

Kathryn Reeve, prosecuting, said the victim was part of a group of mothers and young children on their way home at the end of the school day.

Defence solicitor Meghan Waldron said the teenager had moved to the Selby area to get away from the London gang lifestyle that had led to him being involved in the cocaine and heroin trade when he was 14, magistrates heard.

His behaviour had changed for the better considerably in North Yorkshire but there were problems between him and the victim, unrelated to London.

Magistrates told him about the school run group: "You will have caused a significant amount of distress to them at a time when there were small children about."

The teenager, now 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to assaulting the mother and two public order offences against her and another woman in the group on February 11, and possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to supply and handling a stolen iPad, all committed in London.

Youth justices gave him a 12-month youth rehabilitation order with intensive surveillance and supervision, a three-month nightly curfew and extended activities. They also ordered him to pay the young woman £50 compensation and a £15 statutory surcharge.

Miss Reeve said the teenager was riding the scooter fast and erratically without wearing a helmet in Selby when he encountered the group. He insulted two members of group including the young woman before driving at her. She suffered a cut to her hand as she tried to prevent the scooter hitting her.

Last year, police found 29 wraps of heroin and 25 wraps of cocaine hidden in his room and a stolen iPad.

Miss Waldron said he was keeping the drugs for older gang members.

Since moving north away from the gang influences, he had been doing his best to go straight.