Seven youths in Peckham together given anti social behaviour order
Published 6 January 2010
Seven anti social behaviour orders have been successfully obtained by Southwark Council and the police in a ground breaking approach to tackle groups causing serious nuisance to the local community.
It's one of the first in London to be served on a group of young people at the same time and aims to send out a reminder to young people that anti social and criminal behaviour will not be tolerated.
The order stipulates that they each are barred from loitering with two or more people in any public place in Southwark and from using threatening or offensive language in any location in the borough.
The seven were found to have acted in a persistently intimidating, threatening and antisocial manner in the neighbourhood over a considerable period of time. Their behaviour included fighting, intimidation, assault and verbal abuse.
At Camberwell Green Magistrates Court District Judge Stone granted the two year orders, saying that "the public, young and old, are entitled to go about their lives without being caused harassment, alarm and distress." He added that the ASBO was necessary "to protect the ordinary folk in Peckham and maybe even to protect themselves."
Five of the defendants, whose ages range from 14 to 16, appear on YouTube videos boasting about their anti social behaviour. District Judge Stone told the court that "what was seen on those YouTube videos (was) intimidatory - the language and the behaviour."
Restrictions were also imposed on their use of bicycles in the borough, following complaints that by riding their bikes on the pavements and cycling in groups they had caused alarm and distress to pedestrians.
In July 2009 the seven were served with an interim ASBO with similar conditions, which the council's anti social behaviour team says has contributed to a dramatic reduction in crime rates in the area.
Cllr Linda Manchester, executive member for community safety at Southwark Council, said: "We have a responsibility to protect our residents from anti social behaviour and we want to make sure that people can go about their daily lives without fear of harassment or violence.
"The results of the interim anti social behaviour orders served on these young men earlier in the summer show just how effective this ASBO will be and I am pleased with the decision of the court today and confident it will make a real difference. In undertaking this action we had huge support form businesses, a local school and residents."
