A frustrated magistrate has blown the whistle on laws that force courts to turn a blind eye to the extensive criminal histories of serial juvenile offenders once they turn 18. Magistrate Stuart Shearer made the comments when sentencing an 18-year-old - who was this week convicted on a string of offences including burglary - but complained that he was forced to pretend the man had no prior convictions when in fact he had 15 juvenile probation orders. Mr Shearer blasted the barrister and police prosecutor who had asked for what he considered to be a lenient sentence of just 12 months' imprisonment. Magistrate Stuart Shearer.