The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A youth who has made life miserable for dozens of people has become the first in the county to be given a new anti-social behaviour injunction.
The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been known to Spalding Police for several years in relation to incidents of criminal damage, anti-social behaviour and assault.
He had previously been the subject of an Acceptable Behaviour Contract, but had breached it on numerous occasions.
He now becomes the first in Lincolnshire to be given an ASB injunction since their introduction in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act of 2014.
Before imposing the injunction statements were taken from residents detailing their suffering, including verbal abuse, stones being thrown at their homes and footballs kicked at cars.
The youth’s actions had left many feeling distressed, upset and frustrated.
Local Beat Manager, PC Craig Lockton, said: “The activities of this youth had clearly not only impacted on the agencies that have been involved, but also the local residents.
“This was not an acceptable situation and there was a necessity for appropriate action to be taken to ensure that those living within the community were not further impacted upon by the actions of this individual.”
Having consulted with agencies involved with the youth and obtained their positive views on the application, it was also decided that Positive Requirements would form part of the injunction.
“This would require the individual to do something that we believe would assist in preventing further ASB,” PC Lockton explained.
“Various criteria have been identified and will now form part of the injunction.
“This individual has been prohibited from intimidating, or causing harassment, alarm or distress to any resident or persons present in the defined locality.
“The injunction has been made for a 12 month period and has a power of arrest attached.”
Conditions must be met
An injunction can be granted against a person aged ten or over if two conditions are met
- the court is satisfied that the person has engaged or threatens to engage in anti-social behaviour
- the court considers it just and convenient to grant the injunction to prevent the person engaging in anti-social behaviour.
An injunction can be applied for by the police, a local authority, a housing provider, the British Transport Police Force, Transport for London, the Environment Agency or the NHS Business Services Authority.
An injunction is granted for a specific period of time and can include a power of arrest if breached. It is a purely civil order, and does not give the individual a criminal record.
