Boys under orders

A boy of ten, one of 12 and another of 16 have been given anti-social behaviour orders by Newark Youth Court to stop them terrorising old folk who live nearby.

The ten-year-old, Callum Leggett, of Yorke Drive, Newark, is the youngest person ever in the area to be given such an order and among the youngest nationally.

The 16-year-old, Daniel Goodrum, of Fenton Close, Newark, was warned by the chairman of the bench, Mr Paul Morris, that breaching the order would almost certainly mean custody.

The third boy is angelic-looking Cliff Bunch (12) of Yorke Drive.

The order bans all three from entering any of five areas of housing for old people around Yorke Drive.

These are Asman Court, Staton Court, Millennium Court, Stukeley Court and Beaumont Walk and their associated gardens.

The identities of the boys are being made public so that people in the area can police the boys’ conduct.

If anyone sees them straying into areas from which they are banned, they should be reported to the police.

The law bans the Advertiser from reporting any criminal hearings in which the boys might have been involved.

However at the asbo hearing, which is conducted under civil, not criminal law, it was stated that Leggett, who is 11 today, has a conviction for burglary with intent to steal.

Bunch has a conviction for criminal damage and burglary with intent to steal, and Goodrum has a conviction for criminal damage, burglary with intent and criminal damage, the hearing was told.

In making the application for the anti-social behaviour orders, Mr Robby Singh said the children taunted old people and regularly went into their gardens.

All three, he said, burgled a shed on Beaumont Walk belonging to a 78-year-old woman.

Mr Clive Rossin, for Bunch, who was told by Mr Morris to remove the gum he was chewing, said: “The asbo in these terms is appropriate.

“Cliff would concede that he has been a nuisance to old age people on the Yorke Drive estate.

“He is not attending school at the present time but from next week will be attending the pupil referral unit.”

Mr Bill Miller, defending Leggett, said: “There is a need for the old people to be appropriately protected.”

Representing Goodrum, he said the asbo would mean that the trio would constantly be under observation.

Mr Morris said: “These are areas where old people live — vulnerable people. They do not do any harm to anybody.

“They do not expect people to break in and frighten them. We agree the asbo set out in the terms read out by the prosecution for two years.

“All three of you: This is extremely serious. If you break the conditions you will come back and be sentenced.

“This does not mean you can go to other areas and commit offences there.

“Daniel, I am willing to bet, with almost certainty, that would mean detention and training for you.

“You have to learn from this experience. For that reason I am recommending you for the Last Chance programme at Glen Parva. It is not a nice experience. It means spending a day at a young offenders’ institution.”