...But we are strictly forbidden to reveal the reasons for the order. TEENAGE tearaway Faye Szulc has been protected by law even though she has been banned from every pub in Ely and Soham because of her behaviour. Ely Magistrates slapped a two-year Anti S

...But we are strictly forbidden to reveal the reasons for the order.

TEENAGE tearaway Faye Szulc has been protected by law even though she has been banned from every pub in Ely and Soham because of her behaviour.

Ely Magistrates slapped a two-year Anti Social Behaviour Order on Szulc but refused to allow the public to know the reasons for the order.

They allowed Szulc, of Christopher Tye Close, Ely, who is just three months off her 18th birthday, the legal privileges of a child even though publicity is a key factor in the effectiveness of ASBOs and the decision flies in the face of Home Office recommendation.

The same court, however, failed to offer the same protection to two young brothers less than a year ago, even though the youngest was only 10.

First offenders, Craig Loveridge and his 13-year-old brother, Bobby, had the full details of their six-week crime spree released by magistrates and splashed across the media to "protect the people of Littleport".

The amazing double standard came on Thursday as magistrates agreed that Szulc could be named and identified so that everyone knows about the order and its terms.

But they ignored East Cambridgeshire Anti-Social Behaviour Group's recommendation and refused to lift reporting restrictions on the proceedings that led to the order being imposed.

Now publicans across the district will be sent posters carrying Szulc's photo in a bid to keep her out of their pubs. But they will not be told why she must be barred.

While subject to the ASBO Szulc must not:

# Enter Prior's Court in Ely.

# Engage in behaviour that causes, or is likely to cause, nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress to others, or is threatening, or abusive, or insulting to others in Ely or Soham.

# Enter public houses or associated grounds in Ely and Soham until

18 years of age.

If she breaches the ASBO she could be fined or even sent to prison.

ASBOs were introduced by the Government to protect the public rather than the individual.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "Publicity is a key factor in the effectiveness of ASBOs and in maintaining public confidence in the effectiveness of the wider criminal justice system."

She added that at the Labour Party Conference on September 29, 2004, the then Home Secretary, David Blunkett, told delegates: "In the neighbourhood ,we need to demonstrate that we are on the side of the people we represent."

East Cambridgeshire ASBO co-ordinator, Brian Tully, said that the Home Office guidance is that details in an ASBO case should be published to protect the community and age alone is not a reason for restrictions.

He added: "The Anti-Social Behaviour Group considers every case on its merits and in this case we wanted full publicity and we put that recommendation to the magistrates. But the magistrates also consider each case on its merits and they made their decision.

"The previous six ASBO cases involving juveniles have all been given an appropriate degree of publicity."

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Do the public have the right to know the reasons an ASBO is imposed, even when the offender is a child?

Write to: The Ely Standard, 38 Market Street, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4LS or email: editor@ely-standard.co.uk