Home Office: Law on public behaviour tightened up

Last year, South Wales Police took the step of asking magistrates to place the order on Mr Davies after 36 complaints were made against him by people.

Mr Davies was among a group of trouble-makers who regularly gathered at the village green in Glyncorrwg for all-day drinking sessions.

Villagers were "terrorised" over a two year period, the court had heard.

One resident had described Mr Davies as a "disgrace to humanity".

Mr Davies was banned from drinking in public and places him under a night-time curfew.

He faced up to five years in prison for breaking the terms of the order.

The anti-social behaviour order was brought in by the Home Secretary under the Crime and Disorder Act to deal with persistent offenders.

Under the law, magistrates must be convinced the person has caused harassment, distress or alarm.

The first order in Wales was brought last July against a 13-year-old boy from Wrexham who "plagued" neighbours.