Teenager named and shamed (From Free Press Series)

Teenager named and shamed

A teenage gang member who terrorised a Cwmbran community was given an anti-social behaviour order.

And magistrates ruled that 15-year-old Mitchell Ellis, of Neerings, Coed Eva, Cwmbran, should be publicly identified so members of the community could report any breaches of the order banning him from Fairwater Comprehensive School and Fairwater Leisure Centre until his 21st birthday.

Prosecutor Chris Tindall, acting for Torfaen council, told Abergavenny magistrates that Ellis' behaviour was "nothing short of appalling", and said he had been involved in a "series of assaults", and had "created fear in the community", as part of a notorious group of youths known as the Pantry Shop Gang.

"There is ample evidence of alarm, distress and harassment in the community," he said, adding that pupils and staff at Fairwater Comprehensive School had also been threatened by Ellis on a regular basis.

Magistrates were told teachers at Fairwater Comprehensive School called police on numerous occasions "expressing concern they would be assaulted, because of Ellis' aggressive and threatening manner".

The teenager was not a pupil at the school, but regularly turned up on site, abusing pupils and staff.

Chairman of the magistrates Doiran Jones said: "Your behaviour has been absolutely atrocious. Crime and disorder reduction officer in Cwmbran, Darrell Dewar, said the ASBO was a last resort.

Torfaen council's community safety manager Dave Jeremiah welcomed the result.

He said: "We're very pleased the court has taken the matter as seriously as they have and treated it with due gravity.