A ROMANIAN teenager in foster care fled to Troon as he feared he would be sent home on his 18th birthday.

The 17-year-old has been in care in Croydon, but he was remanded in custody when he was apprehended by police in a parked car on North Shore Road in Troon on May 1.

The vehicle was not insured, and the man gave officers a false name when he was questioned.

Defending the accused, solicitor Mr Duncan told the court: “If he is allowed liberty today, social workers will be travelling up to get him. The reason he left is because he is in asylum.

He was of the understanding that on his 18th birthday he’d be taken back to Romania.”

The teenager was released from custody to meet social workers travelling to Glasgow Central Station to pick him up to return him to his foster home.