The 10-year ban handed out by magistrates is the city's longest

Emmanuel Emerson Manners, 19, led a group which caused havoc in Leeds city centre, magistrates heard.

It was alleged they were targeted by authorities in a purge on drug-dealing in the Little London area of Leeds.

Councillor Richard Lewis described the ban as "significant" and said it was clear that Manners was a key figure in anti-social activity in the area.

Menacing behaviour

In September 2003, 66 members of the gang were served with interim anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) as part of a joint operation by Leeds City Council and West Yorkshire Police.

Operation Cape led to the largest number of Asbos being dealt with simultaneously in the UK.

On Monday, Manners, who now lives in Rusholme, Manchester, admitted 30 separate acts of anti-social behaviour out of a total of 34, at Leeds Magistrates' Court.

These included using two-way radios to warn street dealers of police and threatening, menacing and harassing behaviour towards other residents and police officers who entered Little London.

Things might have got far worse if we had not intervened when we did Councillor Richard Lewis

Mr Lewis, Leeds City Council's executive member for community safety, said the 10-year order was the longest yet imposed in Leeds.

He said: "This is an extremely significant outcome.

"It is clear that Emmanuel Manners was more than just a bit player in anti-social activities across Little London and this has been supported by the magistrates' court's decision to impose the 10-year order.

"At the age of 19, things might have got far worse if we had not intervened when we did."