Boys are accused (From Stroud News and Journal)

Boys are accused

TWO TEENAGE boys accused of terrorising their neighbourhood will go on trial at Stroud Magistrate's Court in the town's first Anti-Social Behaviour Order case.

The boys, aged 13 and 14, have denied Stroud District Council's complaint they had caused harassment, alarm and distress to residents in their area.

The council is applying for magistrates to make a restrictive ASBO to prevent the boys from engaging in future anti-social behaviour.

A trial date was to be set yesterday, as the SNJ went to press.

A third boy, aged 17, failed to appear at last week's hearing, and magistrates issued Stroud police with a warrant for his arrest.

Inspector Andy Stone told the court police had searched his parent's home in the early hours of last Monday, and now believe the teenager may have absconded to Gloucester.

A separate warrant for his arrest is also outstanding after the teenager failed to appear at Gloucester Youth Court on drugs and driving-while-disqualified offences.

Stroud magistrate's chairman of the bench Simon Young agreed to an application from the trio's defence lawyer, Terry McCarthy, to extend an order banning identification of the trio while the case is pending.

He said: "There should be no publicity leading to the identification pending the outcome of the application."

Seventeen residents have made statements in the case against the boys.

An interim order regulating the activities of the youths was extended until the case is heard.

Its conditions are equivalent to those of an ASBO.