A decision to allow a teenage troublemaker in Middlesbrough to remain anonymous has been criticised by local people.

On Monday, a judge rejected a local newspaper's challenge to allow a 14-year-old boy with an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) to be identified.

During the youth's hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court last week, District Judge James Prowse banned publication of the youth's identity until 8 January 2003, pending any possible appeal.

But people living in the area say troublemakers should be named and shamed, as in the case of 17-year-old Nathan Patton who was given an Asbo earlier this year.

It is a vital part of the Asbo that we communicate to the residents in the affected area who the individual is Barry Coppinger, Middlesbrough Council

The latest Asbo means the unidentified youth is barred from entering the area of Union Street to Princes Road and Glebe Road to Diamond Road until he is 18-years-old.

Street warden Neil Burns, who patrols the Hemlington area of Middlesbrough, said naming offenders is essential in making Asbo's work.

He told BBC Radio Cleveland: "I think he should be named because the order is a lot less effective if people do not know about it.

"It would be difficult to identify a transgressor.

"If someone was taken to court, served with an Asbo then went back on the streets, if people living in the area weren't aware he had an Asbo against him they wouldn't come forward and report incidents."

Legal action

Councillor Barry Coppinger, the executive for law and order for Middlesbrough Council who supported the Evening Gazette's challenge, said it was important to let residents know who he was.

He said: "It is a vital part of the Asbo that we communicate to the residents in the affected area who the individual is, what he has been doing to cause problems and what the Asbo says he must not do.

"Our intention is that our information will be communicated to residents and we will ask residents to contact us if there has been a breach of the Asbo.

"We would then follow that up with further legal action."

Steve Dyson, editor of the Evening Gazette, said he had wanted to be able to warn people living in the area about the youth before the festive period begins.