TWO schoolgirls spent several hours in police cells because they swore and screamed from the top of a wall, York magistrates heard.

The younger girl was 13, the older 14, and neither was charged with any offence in connection with the incident, the court heard.

But both appeared in the dock in custody flanked by Group 4 officers.

When the magistrates asked the 14-year-old girl if she understood why she was in court, she shook her head.

Prosecutor Emma Pearce said that social services staff called in police in the early hours of yesterday morning.

Shortly afterwards, the girls were seen on a wall near a social services establishment in a residential part of south York screaming and swearing.

"When the officers appeared, their behaviour continued, and hence they were kept in custody," said Miss Pearce.

For the younger girl, Phil Brown said the girl was objecting to the conduct of social services staff towards her.

Referring to the way the authorities handled the incident, he said: "The result of the fairly draconian measures was her spending a number of hours in police custody."

Magistrates bound the younger girl over for three months to keep the peace after she accepted that her behaviour was not what it should have been.

They adjourned the case of the older girl to today's youth court.

Updated: 11:01 Tuesday, May 06, 2003