ASBO for girl, 14, who 'attacked other students'

MAGISTRATES have imposed an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) on a Littlehampton teenager who is alleged to have attacked and intimidated other schoolgirls.

Naomi Banham, 14, was also said to have assaulted and verbally abused railway staff who stopped her for travelling without a ticket.

Her solicitor, Siobhan Lawson, opposed the interim order, but Worthing magistrates agreed to impose the ASBO, which will be in force until a full hearing on March 27.

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The order includes strict conditions on her not using foul, abusive or offensive language in public, and also bans her from entering an exclusion zone covering certain streets in Littlehampton.

She is also ordered not to assault, threaten or intimidate others, not to cause alarm, distress or harassment to others, not to use public transport without a valid ticket, or the means to pay for one, and not to contact seven schoolgirls named in the order.

Rowan Jenkins, for the police, told the court that the primary concern in the case was a series of unprovoked attacks, particularly on young and "fairly defenceless" people, mostly in September.

One girl, he said, had suffered a black eye and swelling after being attacked by Banham and was upset and worried about it happening again.

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"She is not alone in saying that," said Mr Jenkins, who gave other examples of assaults by Banham, including one in which a victim's hair was pulled out. Some of the victims, he said, had been reluctant to make complaints to the police, fearing further intimidation by Banham.

Mr Jenkins also mentioned two incidents involving Banham travelling on trains without a ticket. On September 6, she was stopped after getting off a train at Worthing, and made offensive and upsetting comments to staff.

On April 19, at Littlehampton railway station, Banham and another girl were involved in "fairly blunt exchanges" with a member of staff. The two girls then forcibly pushed him away.

"This is not a huge picture of offending, but a picture which is developing quickly," added Mr Jenkins.

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Miss Lawson disagreed that there was a developing pattern of how Banham was behaving. "Huge changes have taken place with regard to Naomi in the last two months," she said.

The turning point had been a week that Banham had spent in secure accommodation. After she came out, she was placed with a family in another town, and with their help, and the support of the youth offending team working on a programme of education and training for her, she was making "dramatic" progress.

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