The Leamington Courier has succeeded in overturning a court's ban on identifying a 15-year-old ASBO boy.

In June this year, magistrates imposed a 'no naming' order to protect the boy - even though he had been previously named and pictured in the Courier.

They ruled that the boy had been 'adversely affected' by the publicity.

The Leamington Courier challenged the order and was supported by other newspapers in the town.

At a hearing this week - to vary the boy's curfew order - magistrates agreed with representations from the press and police to lift the 'no names' order imposed in June.

Speaking outside court, Mike Goucher, solicitor for Warwickshire Police, said: "It is important to get the publicity right. You can’t simply name and shame people, you have to inform the community about the conditions.

"These conditions have changed. If someone sees him and thinks he has breached his ASBO and reports him, we will have wasted everybody’s time.

"We don’t look for publicity to name and shame, we look for publicity to ensure these kids don’t misbehave."

Courier deputy editor John Howes said: "Common sense has prevailed. It is a pity it took more than three months."