Four convicted young robbers who made lives a misery for people in Islington have been issued with Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) preventing them from associating with each other in any public place for three years. The teenagers were targeted by Islington's Anti Social Behaviour Team as a result of being involved in various acts of anti social behaviour ranging from graffiti and vandalism of communal areas to resident intimidation while gathering in stairwells. The estates plagued by the youngsters over nine months in 2004 included Kerridge Court, Mayville, Beckford House and Hathersage Court. The ASBOs were secured due to the fact the four youths were convicted of committing robbery together. They were sentenced at Thames Youth Court on 17 December 2004 for a robbery committed on a resident in Balls Pond Road earlier in the year. "Dealing with anti social behaviour is a priority for the council. ASBOs are not a sticking plaster that can heal all evils but when used carefully they can be very effective as is the case here. "The council is working hard with the police and Homes for Islington to deal with anti social behaviour. We are using all the tools at our disposal to make life better for Islington residents, says Cllr Jyoti Vaja, executive member for housing and community safety. Islington's Chief Supt. Barry Norman said: ' In Islington there is a real determination from the Police, the council and many other partners to reduce anti social behaviour. We will shortly have in place eight teams of community officers whose priority will be to reduce such behaviour. We are looking forward to taking delivery of two mobile CCTV vehicles later this year which will greatly improve our ability to provide the courts with irrefutable evidence of the need for more ASBOs to handed down to people of all ages who through their anti social behaviour cause so much misery to the communities in which they live.' Ann Lucas, Homes for Islington Board Chair, said: "Homes for Islington is committed to improving living conditions for council residents. To help us and our partners reduce the level of antisocial behaviour on estates, we encourage residents to come forward with any information they have that may lead to identification of perpetrators. Appropriate action can then be taken to make Islington estates safer and more secure." Islington Anti Social Behaviour Team is a partnership between Islington Council, the police and Homes for Islington. In 2004 Islington issued 12 ASBOs including one to a 12 year old, the youngest in the borough. The council also continues to use Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABC's), that were first used in Islington as a way of dealing with anti social behaviour. And, through the new enforcement powers under the Anti social behaviour act 2003 Islington has issued 14 Drug Closure Orders, the highest number in London and four Dispersal Orders. Ends
Page Last Updated: 29 July 2008