A district judge has backed the News Shopper in its bid to identify a youngster who breached his Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

The Bexley edition of the London newspaper series wanted to name the 16-year-old in the public interest and lodged an application with the court.

The breaches of the Anti-Social Behaviour Order, imposed in July last year, took place on July 22, August 8 and September 18 this year.

News Shopper editor Andrew Parkes said: “I am delighted that, finally, the right decision has been reached and the public can be told the truth.

“We will continue to campaign to name any persistent young offenders who are allowed to terrorise our community.”

District Judge Jane McIvor, who allowed the newspaper’s application, said she was aware of the history of the case and decided it was now in the public interest to allow publicity.

She said: “There have been umpteen previous breaches and in this case, it is in the legitimate interests of the people in Bexley.

“It is in their area that the Anti-Social Behaviour Order has been imposed and for their benefit.”

She said allowing publicity ought to make further enforcement of ASBOs more effective and prevent more anti-social behaviour from the boy.

The defence counsel suggested the newspaper was being “simply salacious” in wanting to use the child’s name in its reports and added that reporting of breaches of his ASBO would not be any more effective if he was named.

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