THE father of a vandal who targeted businesses with a home made catapult has been cleared of responsibility for his son's actions.

The 37-year-old was charged with two counts of criminal damage after driving the teen to and from school - while he fired stones at numerous buildings.

Although aware of what his son was doing, he claimed to be unable to stop the 13-year-old.

During a six-month wave of damage, beginning in October 2006, the teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, destroyed windows along Cowley Road and Oxford Road in Uxbridge.

Among the buildings hit were the newly refurbished Parkview, and Parexel's offices in the landmark Quays building, which face each-other across Oxford Road. Both suffered several broken windows.

The boy was caught after CCTV showed his father's Toyota Land Cruiser near where the incidents happened.

On June 13 the teen pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage but asked for a further 27 to be taken into consideration.

Police put the damage at £125,000 over the six month period. On Tuesday, chairman of the panel, magistrate Lord Richard Rosser,dismissed the charges against the father,and questioned whether he would have been before the court had his son been an adult.