Yobs facing custody after breaching Asbo
Two yobs who were handed an anti-social behaviour order for terrorising a Black Country town have admitted breaching it less than a month after it was issued.
James Evans, aged 25, and Steven Griffiths, 20, were part of a gang of five who led a campaign of terror in Oldbury.
Both now face being locked up as judges are expected to activate a suspended sentence order. All five were given a two-year Asbo on April 17.
During the trial the gang was associated with a catalogue of offences. Evans was accused of attempting to throw bollards off a motorway bridge while the court heard Griffiths had committed burglary, theft and been drunk and disorderly. Sandwell Magistrates heard yesterday that less than a month after the Asbo was issued, Evans and Griffiths, both from Oldbury, had breached it.
As part of the order all five were told they can no longer associate with each other publicly and are banned from entering parts of Oldbury and Quinton. At the hearing both pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching the Asbo. Evans admitted the breach after he was caught being drunk in a public place, and associating with Griffiths, and Griffiths admitted the breach after he was found in a banned area and associating with Evans.
The court heard officers were called to a public car park in Birch Road on May 3 after receiving an anonymous tip-off, and found Evans and Griffiths together in their exclusion zone. Mrs Kelly Crowe, prosecuting, said: "Evans was slurring his words, his breath smelt of alcohol and officers took the view he was intoxicated."
The court heard both men are subject to suspended sentence orders, which may now be activated. Griffiths, of Wolverhampton Road, was issued his suspended sentence order for an affray, while Evans of Hagley Road West was given his order for similar offences. Mr Harmail Gill, defending told the court that on that day Griffiths was going to meet Evans at his home, and found him in the car park. The pair will next appear at crown court on June 7.
