Youth banned from Redditch buses

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A TEENAGER, described as one of the worst behaved individuals in 20 years of policing, has been banned from using all buses in Redditch.

Ryan King has been given an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) which also excludes him from the town's bus station and Kingfisher Shopping Centre. The order follows a catalogue of complaints against the 17-year-old from Batchley dating back to 2006, some of which are not related to buses.

They include casuing disorder and fighting on buses, threatening or abusing bus drivers, Community Support Officers put on buses to reassure the public and security guards at the shopping centre. The Kingfisher Shopping Centre had already banned him from the mall and the bus station and police had issued numerous warnings about his behaviour.

Police presented 16 different incidents King committed between June and December last year to magistrates during a hearing in Redditch last Thursday (March 1), which convinced them to grant the order. They also heard evidence regarding numerous non bus-related incidents.

The ban, which runs for two years, prevents King from interfering, stopping, getting on or travelling on buses in Redditch, entering the shopping centre or the bus station and a set surrounding area. He also cannot use threatening or intimidating behaviour and abusive or offensive language or gestures or encourage others to do so in a way which causes, distress, harassment and alarm to other people. King faces a fine or five years detention if he breaks the ASBO.

Sgt Neil Billingham 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 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 added: "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."

Anyone who knows King or sees him on a bus in any of the areas he is banned from is urged to call police on 0300 333 3000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.