SWINDON magistrates have issued their first Anti Social Behaviour Order against a 14-year-old Highworth boy.

Christopher White, of Queens Avenue, has admitted he engaged in anti-social acts, which included causing a nuisance on school premises when he was expelled and causing harassment to local shop-keepers.

He has now been banned from parts of Highworth and given a night-time curfew.

The allegations date back to a six-month period between November 2001 and May 2002.

Swindon Council's senior solicitor, Francis Maples, told the court on Wednesday that White, who was expelled from Highworth Warneford School in October last year, had committed a catalogue of offences.

These included verbally and racially abusing Highworth residents, taking a dog from a garden in Queens Avenue and threatening to harm it with a hammer when challenged by its owner and jumping on gravestones in St Michael's Church.

It was also alleged that White, who turns 15 in September, had been verbally abusive inside St Michael's Church, climbed up a ladder into an empty property in Newburgh Place and had disrupted a school governor's meeting in June by throwing broken furniture around.

Mr Maples said: "Christopher White and others have caused distress to large numbers of people of all ages including mothers and children, users of Highworth Recreation Ground, local shopkeepers and residents.

"Matters came to a head with an incident at Highworth library when a group of youths caused mayhem, shouting expletives and abusing staff.

"The question of Christopher White's needs is of great importance and requires attention but so is the question of protecting the public."

Christopher's mother Mary said: "I am disappointed and embarrassed, but he has another side to him. He's a typical teenager, nice one minute and not the next.

"Christopher thinks it is a little bit of fun and there is no seriousness to some of the things he has done.

"He doesn't just go out and do things intentionally because he has not been brought up like that.

"I haven't really sat down and discussed the matter with Christopher, he has just brushed it off.

"I'm hoping that one day he will grow up, but he may always be like this and that worries me."