A TEENAGER accused of terrorising the communities of Penhill and Abbey Meads has been banned from the estates.

Jack Young, 19, received a three-month interim anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday for 22 alleged offences, including attempted burglary, attempted robbery and assault.

In the most serious offence, Young allegedly threatened to firebomb the home and stab the son of a woman living in Penhill Drive.

Francis Maples, prosecuting, said: “There is no good reason for someone who doesn’t live in Penhill or Abbey Meads to be in Penhill or Abbey Meads unless, of course, the person had employment in the areas which doesn’t apply in Jack’s case.

“If he is excluded from that part of the town, it is a statement of the obvious that he couldn’t cause further trouble because he wouldn’t be allowed to be there and if he was, then he would be in breach.”

Young, of Albion Close, was alleged to have caused the trouble between April 14 and October 2. On several occasions, Young is accused with others of causing harassment, alarm and distress to customers and staff at the fish and chip shop in Hannington Close, Penhill.

He is also accused of a disturbance at Abbey Meads Dental Practice where he allegedly shouted foul language, refused to leave the waiting area, hurled a plant pot and threw a clipboard into the waiting area.

Terence McCarthy, defending, said: “I think that the name Jack Young is well known and I think offences are attributed to that name in the Penhill area.

“Mr Young has been arrested on numerous occasions for matters which have been thoroughly investigated and have been found to be unfounded.”

Mr McCarthy asked for the ban to be relaxed slightly to allow Young to visit his family in Penhill but this was denied. Afterwards, PC Tom Evans, community beat manager for Penhill, said Young’s was the first of five ASBO applications to be made in relation to teenagers suspected of causing trouble in Penhill.

He said the subjects were boys aged from 16 to 19 and the applications would all be made over the next six weeks by Swindon Council on behalf of Swindon Community Safety Partnership.

PC Evans stressed the importance of community intelligence in tackling anti-social behaviour.

He said: “The message to people is don’t tolerate it, report it. If people accept it and don’t report it, the problem isn’t going to go away. We cannot address the issue unless we know about it.”