Toughen up: Home Secretary David Blunkett

The youngster - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - was given a three-year supervision order at Cardiff Youth Court on Tuesday.

The court heard that he had committed "an appalling catalogue of offences during a spree of car thefts" but that because he was under the age of 12, authorities are powerless to detain him.

The child has been involved in repeated car thefts over a two year period, stealing on average a car a day.

During his latest offence, Cardiff Youth Court heard how he drove a van at 70mph despite being so short that he used a headrest as a booster seat in order to reach the pedals.

Describing the offences as "appalling", Judge Gerwyn Watkins told the youngster if he had been just a few days older he would have been sentenced to a detention order.

The courts will not have the power to detain the boy until after he reaches his 12th birthday on Friday.

The court heard the boy - who admitted more than 20 motoring offences - was suffering from attention deficit disorder.

A 13-hour nightly curfew and even electronic tagging has not prevented the youngster from re-offending.

'Difficult child'

Neighbours on his home estate in Cardiff have said he is too small at just 4ft 6 inches tall to reach the pedals - and even has to stand up to drive the cars.

The hearing on Tuesday heard that the boy's parents are separated - which compounded his problems - and have said they could no longer control him.

His mother told the hearing that he had always been a "difficult child".

The youngster is now living with foster parents in the south Wales valleys and appears to have made some improvement in his attitude to crime in the last couple of weeks.

The courts have limited powers to deal with such cases.

The boy steals on average a car a day

Fines of up to �250 can be imposed and various controlling orders can be made.

The boy still is not old enough - until his birthday on Friday - to be given a detention and training order which is the punishment designed to deal with offenders like him.

Keith Towler, director of crime reduction at the offender's charity NACRO, described the youngster's crime record as "remarkable".

"It's very unusual circumstances for a lad as young as 11 to have had so many court appearances," said Mr Towler.

After he turns 12 on Friday magistrates will be able to consider sentencing the boy to secure accommodation.

"But it would be very difficult to find a place where he can be accommodated and his welfare needs to be taken into consideration," said Mr Towler.