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Echo stops bid to keep ASBO boy's identity a secret

The Haverhill Echo has successfully fought off an attempt to keep secret the identity of a 14-year-old boy issued with an anti-social behaviour order.

The ASBO was only the second to be issued in the town, and the weekly paper argued that it was in the public interest that people knew who the boy was.

Deputy editor Karen Steel wrote a letter to the judge sitting at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court, which was taken along by reporter Steve Barton who covered the case.

The boy’s solicitor argued against the Echo’s application to name the teenager and said people who needed to know his identity would “quite quickly get to know by word of mouth”.

But district judge David Cooper agreed with the Echo and said: “It’s an important function of local papers that they try to recreate that community feeling and just keep an eye out. It won’t hurt him.”

At the hearing the judge approved the ASBO against the 14-year-old, which followed an interim order issued because of his continued misbehaviour in the street where he used to live.

The order was secured following a joint application made by numerous agencies, including the police, a youth offending team, Havebury Housing and St Edmundsbury Council.

The Echo pointed out that the boy had moved to a different part of town, and so said the defence argument that those who needed to know about it already did so was not true.

Deputy editor Karen said: “If there is a youngster with an ASBO who has been causing residents a lot of trouble and then moves to a different area of town, we thought it was only fair his new neighbours were warned.

“Who knows, it could even be a help to him as it might ensure he is less likely to get into bad habits in his new home.”

She added: “Judge David Cooper, who dealt with the hearing, has a reputation for no-nonsense dealing and I think the Echo welcomes his comments regarding the importance of the role of the local press and our community function.”

In its letter the paper said: “We would like to apply to the court not to place a section 39 order preventing the defendant from being identified for reasons of public interest.

“There has been a consistent pattern of behaviour on the part of the defendant within a localised area, to which this ASBO refers.

“While it could be argued the residents in this area are already well aware of the defendant’s behaviour, we understand he has been moved to a different area of the town, where we consider it only fair residents be informed in order to remain vigilant.

“An ASBO is no use at all if it prevents offending in one area only for the problem to be moved to another.”

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