Today Fareham Magistrates Court, made 14 year old Hollie Watson, of Netherton Road and Blackthorn Drive, Elson, the subject of an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO).
The application was made by Gosport Borough Council in partnership with The Safer Neighbourhood Police from Gosport (Hampshire Constabulary). They applied for the ASBO after Hollie was caught persistently displaying Anti Social behaviour such as criminal damage, harassment and intimidation in the Forton and Elson areas of the Borough. Miss Watson was also described as the ring leader of a group of up to 15 youths which regularly gathered in the area and whose behaviour since October 2006, has spiralled out of control.
Statements from both the police who attended the incidents and residents who lived through them reported Hollie as the major perpretrator of the group and by far the worst offender.
Acceptable Behaviour contracts have since been issued to all members of the group which Hollie seemed to be leading and if they break their contracts, appropriate action will be taken against them.
“Offenders must realise that anti social behaviour will not be tolerated and Gosport Borough Council and the Police will use all appropriate tools to protect the public,” said Kirsty Smillie-Robertson, Anti-Social Behaviour Officer for Gosport Borough Council’s Community Safety Team.
“The aim of the ASBO is two fold. We want to ensure the best for the Gosport community while assisting Hollie in changing her behaviour around so that she can once again live happily within her community.”
Conditions agreed to by the Court are aimed at stopping Hollie from continuing her anti-social behaviour and stopping her from entering certain locations – mainly places where she has misbehaved in the past - in order to protect the public.
The key conditions of the ASBO are that Hollie:-
- Must observe a daily curfew between 2100 and 0700
- Must not associate with three or more persons in public places
- Is excluded from Palymra Road and the Crossways areas of Gosport
“We hope that if Hollie complies with the conditions imposed by the order her behaviour will return to an acceptable level,” added Kirstie. “We have tried all avenues to turn her behaviour around to address the problem but without success. This was our last avenue and something we had to do for the good of the local community.”
The Council hope this result is a positive one for the community and that now the ASBO has been granted, residents will realise that they are being supported by the Council and the Police and that they feel confident that action will and has been taken to discourage perpretrators of Anti Social behaviour.
Although an ASBO is a civil order, any breach is a criminal offence which could result in arrest. Therefore if Miss Watson breaches the conditions of her ASBO she could face a custodial sentence.
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