Case Studies

Bus ban

by msecadm4921

A 17-year-old Redditch youth has been served with an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) banning him from all buses in Redditch as well as the town’s bus station and Kingfisher Shopping Centre.
The bus ban is believed to be the first of its kind imposed under the terms of an ASBO in West Mercia and follows a catalogue of complaints about the behaviour of Ryan King (date of birth 04/10/1994) who lives at Batchley.

They include causing disorder and fighting on buses, and threatening or abusing bus drivers, Community Support Officers and security guards at the shopping centre.

Police successfully applied to magistrates in Redditch last Thursday (1 March) for the two-year order against him.

The ASBO prohibits him from interfering with, stopping, getting on or travelling on any public buses in the Borough of Redditch; entering the Kingfisher Centre, Redditch Bus Station and a defined surrounding area; behaving or encouraging others to act in a way that causes others harassment, alarm or distress by using abusive or offensive language or gestures; and using aggressive, threatening or intimidating behaviour.

Local Policing Sergeant Neil Billingham said that the order had been sought following numerous incidents involving King who had been causing problems as far back as 2006.

This had escalated in the last few years during which King had blatantly ignored warnings about his behaviour and more recently an order issued by the Kingfisher Centre banning him from the shopping centre and bus station.

Sgt Neil Billingham said that the application for the ASBO listed 16 different incidents involving King which were all committed on buses between June and December last year (2011). They included abuse, threats and disorderly behaviour directed towards bus drivers, passengers and CSOs who were travelling on public transport, to reassure the community. Evidence in relation to numerous non bus-related incidents was also presented.

Sgt Billingham said local bus companies and Redditch Borough Council had all supported the application. He said: “In my experience of 20 years in policing King is one of the worst behaved individuals I have encountered and he has caused misery for people over a long period of time in different parts of the town. He has persistently caused problems on buses, intimidating the drivers and other passengers.

“His anti-social behaviour was highlighted to us by members of the public and Diamond buses in particular, and we have acted positively and decisively.

“We do not obtain ASBOs lightly but it demonstrates that we will take a robust approach in dealing with people who cause problems in the community. We hope it will bring about an improvement in King’s behaviour and act as a deterrent for others who may think they can behave in a similar way with impunity.”

Redditch District Inspector, Ian Joseph, said: “I welcome the bans that have been introduced under this ASBO. King’s appalling behaviour has had a detrimental effect on people who live, work in or visit the town and he was responsible for various complaints to the police over many months, particularly in respect of his conduct on the buses.

“We intend to rigorously enforce the bans whilst continuing to gather evidence against others, just a small minority, whose actions cause such concern but who have not yet grasped our resolve in this matter.”

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