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Friday 17th October 2003 |
406/2003 |
A sixteen year old youth from Leigh is banned from using abusive, insulting, offensive, threatening or intimidating language or behaviour anywhere in the country under the terms of an anti–social behaviour order (ASBO) obtained by Wigan Council yesterday.
In the week when the government urged local councils to do more to clamp down on anti–social behaviour, Nicky Appleton of Keble Grove, Westleigh, becomes the borough’s twentieth ASBO recipient. In a first for Wigan borough, part of the order extends nationwide. In addition, Appleton must not congregate in a group of more than four people in public in Wigan borough, associate in public with four named individuals, or enter an area of Westleigh known locally as the ‘Trees’ estate.
District Judge Tapp heard that Appleton has been “terrorising” the estate, with a track record of vehicle crime, ‘joyriding’ motorcycles, criminal damage, theft and intimidating of residents. Despite the efforts of various agencies — including youth offending and educational welfare — and, the judge noted, Appleton’s mum, his behaviour didn’t improve. Residents were too frightened to give evidence against him and it was Wigan & Leigh Housing’s tenancy relations team who eventually decided enough was enough. Together with police and community safety partners, they gathered enough evidence to bring the action.
Councillor Keith Cunliffe, Wigan Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety says:
“The government has this week signalled its intentions to deal with anti–social behaviour and with 14 ASBO’s already this year, we are sending out a powerful message to the yobs — you will not be tolerated.
“Residents anywhere in the borough with concerns about anti–social behaviour can call the police, or the tenancy relations team if they live on a council estate, in confidence, and action will be taken. Hopefully, people will get the message that causing harassment, alarm or distress to people will not go unpunished.”
For more information, please contact Dave Bainbridge, Tenancy Relations manager on 01942 705707.
The Anti–social behaviour order is a community–based order akin to an injunction. It can be applied for by the police or local authority against any individual over the age of 10, including adults, who acts in an anti–social manner — that is, a manner which causes harassment, alarm or distress to one or more people, of a different household to the defendant, over a period of time.
Anti–social behaviour orders can be applied for by both the local authority and the police. Applications for orders are made to the magistrates’ court acting in its civil capacity. It is not required to demonstrate that every other remedy has been exhausted.
In Wigan borough, anti–social behaviour orders are only be applied for when the Community Safety Partnership’s Positive Action team decides it is necessary to protect an individual, a group of people or a community and where a lengthy period of restriction is necessary.
The minimum duration for an order is two years. The orders are preventative and are intended to be used to put an end to persistent and serious anti–social behaviour, which can make life a misery for a community and/or an individual.
Breach of an order, without reasonable excuse, is a criminal offence punishable custodial sentence.