LABOUR was accused of breeding a generation of yobs yesterday after teenage convictions for violence, vandalism, robbery and joyriding almost doubled in a decade.

Violent attacks by under-18s soared by a third from 5,886 in 1998 to 7,689 in 2007, according to Ministry of Justice statistics.

Motoring offences by kids more than trebled over the same period — from 10,760 to 36,712.

Drug offences almost trebled to 5,263. Violent crime by girls under 18 soared from 6,000 offences in 2001 to almost 23,000 last year.

Tories unearthed the figures.

Shadow police reform minister David Ruffley said: "This has all happened on Labour's watch." But the Government said it showed more louts were brought to justice. A Home Office spokesman said crime had fallen 39 per cent since 1997.