Teen who flouted Asbo is jailed

A teenage yob who repeatedly breached an Asbo designed to stop him terrorising a Black Country neighbourhood has been locked up.

Ryan White, a member of the notorious Low Hill Youth gang in Wolverhampton, was handed a six-month detention and training order when he appeared before city magistrates yesterday.

The court heard how the 17-year-old breached the terms of his Asbo up to seven times by associating with people he had been ordered to stay away from.

Allegations against the Low Hill Youth gang in 2008 included theft, throwing fireworks, racial abuse, brandishing knives and even firing a gun through a window.

The court heard yesterday how on February 23 this year, White was spotted along with two other youths running through the garden of Nina Wildman, who was a witness in the original case.

Miss Jenny Dean, prosecuting, said he had been banned from seeing either.

White claimed he had been at home at the time of the breach but when officers checked records of his electronic tag, it was found he had been absent.

White, who was on a bricklaying course and lives in Wood Lane in Bushbury, was convicted after a trial.

Mr Suresh Joshi, defending, said the teenager had found himself "bumping into" individuals.

But Mr Ken Clibery, chairman of the magistrates' bench, said White had "willfully and persistently" breached the requirements of his Asbo.

"Seeing the victim in court during the trial, we believe psychological damage has been caused and we consider you to be a serious threat to the public," he told White.

Jordan Donnelly, aged 17, of Primrose Avenue, in Bushbury, was also sentenced to four months detention and training for breaching his Asbo but is appealing. He was remanded.