A TEENAGER has been given a two-year antisocial behaviour order in an effort to stop him abusing residents and police on a Colchester estate.

Magistrates at Harwich told Ben Barnham, of Spruce Avenue, Greenstead, the report outlining his misbehaviour had made “grim reading.”

The 16-year-old was accompanied to court by his mother, Sheena, and did not contest the Asbo.

Fiona Philpott, applying for the order on behalf of the police, urged the bench to accept the application.

She said police wanted the Asbo as a way of curbing persistent bad behaviour by Barnham when out with groups of youths.

He frequently swore and shouted at police and the public, hurled objects at people and climbed on to the roof of Greenstead Free Church.

Paul Tawn, representing Barnham, said the family accepted the terms of the order. It bans him from being in a group of more than four people and from using abusive language or behaviour towards anyone outside his home. It also specifically bars him from Greenstead Free Church.

Magistrates were told Barnham first came to the attention of the police in 2003, aged just ten. Since then, he had been convicted of using disorderly behaviour and threatening a police community support officer.

In March, Barnham and his mum refused to sign an acceptable behaviour order and his antisocial behaviour had continued since then.

Mr Tawn said: “I think, having had a fairly lengthy discussion with Ben, he accepts this really is his last chance of moving away from his behaviour of the last year.”

Announcing their decision, the magistrates told Barnham they felt anger on behalf of Greenstead residents for what they had had to put up with.

  • An application for an Asbo against 16-year-old Jamie Fletcher, of Heatley Way, Greenstead, was adjourned until February 24.

He opposes the application, but has accepted an interim order, preventing him behaving abusively, going into the free church, or throwing objects at people, pending the outcome of the hearing.