Youth breaks ASBO order (From Free Press Series)

Youth breaks ASBO order

A teenager who flouted the law which banned him from parts of his home town could be locked up.

That was the warning given to Kyle Roberts, aged 18, of Arcadia Way, Trevethin, who was found guilty at Cwmbran youth court on Thursday of last week of breaching an interim ASBO.

Chairman of the bench Robert Paginton told Roberts "all options were open", including a custodial sentence.

The court heard he was made the subject of an interim anti-social behaviour order on May 4, prior to a full hearing on May 17. Witness Joanne Davies, area manager working for Torfaen youth service, told the court she saw Roberts "repeatedly" riding a motorbike around Cold Barn youth centre on May 13 - an area he was banned from.

Roberts was arrested on May 15 and in a statement to police he denied being there.

Quizzed by prosecutor Helen Roddick in court, Roberts again denied he was there.

He was found guilty and the case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

The court also heard Roberts had pleaded guilty to a breach of the full ASBO at an earlier hearing, for which he was fined.

The order banned Roberts from conduct which "causes or is likely to cause alarm, distress or harassment to others, or inciting or encouraging others to do so" and "which is, or is likely to be, threatening, abuse or insulting to others or encouraging or inciting others to do so" anywhere in Torfaen.

He is banned from an area in Trevethin; the grounds of a school; George Street and surrounding area in Pontnewynydd.