PURBECK District Council is funding its own antisocial behaviour officer to deal with unruly behaviour.

Over the past two years, eight antisocial behaviour orders (Asbos) have been secured by the council in partnership with Dorset Police but many more cases have been dealt with without reaching court.

The legislation was used recently to deal with camper vans parking overnight long-term along Ferry Road, Studland.

The Asbo officer is responsible for compiling evidence, arranging case meetings and preparing paperwork ready for court.

Glen Harding, the council's head of legal and democratic services, said: "It is an essential part of the council's approach to tackling antisocial behaviour."

The Home Office paid for the post during its first two years but that funding runs out next April.

Councillors agreed to retain the official by funding £24,290 while requests are made for funding help from local housing associations including Purbeck Housing Trust. A request made to Dorset Police was refused.

Cllr Tony Miller said: "It is a lot of money but all the councillors were 100 per cent behind this - everyone says what a good job it is doing and they must be getting feedback from their wards.

"This Asbo process can be used for lots of things, as a way of bringing people into line, not just tearaways. We are being held up as one of the foremost councils in the country because of what we have done and that is something to be proud of."

...and five reasons why it needs one?

1) Chantelle Driver, 17, was made the subject of an Asbo for antisocial behaviour in 2003. This was extended to five years last year.

2) Carl Wareham, 20, was issued with a five-year Asbo in July last year.

Wareham, who lives with his grandparents in Peters Lane, just outside Lytchett Matravers, was made the subject of the Asbo after a string of complaints to police from local residents, including the use of threatening and intimidating behaviour, being drunk and disorderly criminal damage, dangerous driving and assault.

The order bans Wareham from using threatening and intimidating behaviour.

It also excludes him from entering a designated area of Lytchett Matravers and Upton Heath Estate and the whole of Holton Heath Industrial Estate, as well as various specified premises, and from associating with six named individuals.

3) Aaron Raven, 16, was made the subject of a five-year Asbo in December 2003 after he was found guilty of a catalogue of offences.

His crimes include repeatedly terrorising and assaulting a group of young children, bullying young people, stealing from the local village ship and verbally abusing and threatening shop staff and members of the public. Raven has been banned from areas and premises in Lytchett Matravers and Upton and forbidden from associating in public with 15 other youths.

4) In 2003, Chantelle's brother Marcus Driver, 21 - who already has a string of convictions - was made the subject of an Abso banning him from Swanage for 10 years.

5) Matthew Fox, 19, was one of a trio of youths barred from areas of Lytchett Matravers last year after criminal damage, disorder and intimidation in the village.

The order was initially made to run for 10 years, but it was reduced to seven years after Matthew appealed to Bournemouth Crown Court.

First published: August 31