Curfew for rowdy teenagers

Rowdy teenagers will be subjected to a summer curfew in a curb on anti-social behaviour.

Police are to use a new law to prevent groups of youths congregating on street corners - and escort them home if they are causing trouble.

Special "curfew" zones are to be set up in Somers Town, Camden, an area notorious for gang fights and anti-social behaviour. Groups of youths will be moved on by police if they are felt to be causing harassment, alarm or distress. Any teenagers under 16 will be taken home by officers to a parent or a guardian. Chief Superintendent Mark Heath, head of policing in Camden, said: "We are making a stand against yobbish behaviour, yobbish culture and anti-social behaviour.

"This is not a draconian measure that says kids cannot play in the street, it is aimed at key individuals.

"One particular group is making life miserable for residents in that area. This is aimed at tackling those people who are making life hell for people."

Police working with Camden council are using powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act to disperse groups of

youths under 16. Any caught causing trouble between 9pm and 6am can be escorted home.

Teenagers will be banned from street corners for up to 24 hours. If they ignore the order they could be held in a police cell. Further penalties could be six-month custodial sentences or fines of ?5,000. Posters will warn youths they are entering dispersal zones. Residents complain the area has been plagued by rowdy youths stealing and riding motor scooters up and down the streets at all times of night.

Pedal cyclists have also been targeted by the gang, who put wire across cycle paths to knock them off bikes before robbing and beating them up. At times hundreds of police have been forced to deploy onto the streets to break up clashes between Asian and white gangs. The area has a long history of interracial gang conflict, which culminated 10 years ago when Richard Everitt, 15, was stabbed to death by an Asian gang.

In some cases youths have been abducted and beaten by rivals.