The Melton Times has won the right to print the names and pictures of five teenage gang members given anti-social behaviour orders by the courts.

Editor Andy Plaice wrote to Leicester Crown Court in advance of their appearance and Judge Simon Hammond agreed they should be identified.

Maria Thompson, a trainee at the paper, was covering her first court case and was able to report the good news.

She said: “The judge read out the letter from our editor appealing for the reporting restrictions to be lifted.

“We argued that it was in the interest of the Melton community that their identities were revealed.”

The paper, which circulates 14,300-plus in Leicestershire, obtained the photographs used in today’s edition from the police.

Judge Hammond served the orders on the youngsters, making their identities known to the public as part of their punishment and to help the police monitor their conduct.

Sentencing them, he said: “They thought it was fun to torment the police and behaved like louts.

“It was the behaviour towards the police that I thought particularly disturbing… saying they were the ‘bad boys’ of Melton. Well, I’m going to stamp that out.”

The orders will last for three years and a breach could result in up to five years detention.

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