Despite pleading guilty to more than 90 offences at Elgin Sheriff Court, lawyers tried to have them freed on a technicality ahead of sentencing.

However, when the youths appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh, the judge, Lord Abernethy, said he did not have the power to consider the matter.

The eight are expected to be sentenced on Friday.

The youths committed a string of offences

The legal issue, which related to the wording of an indictment, is expected to be challenged on appeal.

The list of 91 offences is thought to have been one of the longest to go before a Scottish court.

The sheriff at Elgin decided to refer sentencing to the High Court in Edinburgh because he said he did not have the power to impose sufficiently stiff sentences.

The offences in Elgin and Lossiemouth included car theft, house breaking, vandalism and assault between January 2001 and March 2002.

Original indictment

At the youths' trial, it took more than three hours to describe their crimes. They had originally faced a total of 146 charges.

When they appeared for sentence on 28 June, defence counsel for one of the youths said that the original indictment, which sets out the charges, was incomplete.

It was stated in court that key words, fundamental to the prosecution of the case, were missing from the formal conclusion.