A destructive yob who felled Rochford's Christmas tree on the eve of the festive lights switch-on has become the first person to be made subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order in the Rochford district.

The 15-year-old from Rochford, was handed the order, similar to the now-defunct ASBOs when he appeared at Southend Youth Court on Thursday.

Essex Police are refusing to release the boy's name, photograph or address - which is usually a requirement of the order - as they say it will be "detrimental to him carrying the order out". 

He must now adhere to the order which has a number of conditions found by the magistrates to be necessary to prevent any further harassment, alarm or distress to the Rochford community.

The order comes after the boy admitted four separate offences; three of criminal damage and one of assault, committed since September 2015.

He was sentenced on December 17 to a £600 fine and a six-month referral order to the Youth Offending Service for damage caused to the Rochford town Christmas tree on November 28.

At court on January 14, he was also convicted of two further counts of criminal damage; one which happened on December 4, and involved damage caused to the day centre in Back Lane, and the other which happened on September 7, where a rock was thrown at a school bus in Ashingdon Road, Rochford, smashing a window and causing minor injuries to a 15-year-old girl. He was sentenced to an extension to the referral order increasing the term to 12 months. He was also ordered to pay £75 compensation to the schoolgirl.

At the same hearing he was also made subject of the criminal behaviour order.

The terms of the order are:

1. Not be found as part of a group of more than three people (including him) unless with a parent or responsible adult aged over 21 years;

2. Not to be disruptive, harass, intimidate or act in an anti-social behaviour way that causes harassment alarm and distress to members of the public, residents and shop staff in the Rochford and Hockley areas named in point eight;

3. Not to throw or discharge any stone, object, or any other missile or projectile by hand or any other instrument for discharging such objects, e.g. catapult at any persons, vehicles, buildings or shops;

4. Not to cause damage to property belonging to others without lawful authority or reasonable excuse;

5. Not to associate with three named youths in a public place;

6. To remain indoors at a designated address, between the hours of 6.30pm until 7am daily and to present yourself to any attending police officer or PCSO who attends that address to make sure the order is being adhered to. This order will last for a period of six months;

7. Not to enter any shops in Rochford or Hockley with the intent of committing shop lifting or anti-social behaviour which causes harassment alarm or distress to people. This includes the Sainsbury’s in West Street Rochford, which you have already been banned from;

8. Not to enter the listed areas below within the district of Rochford and Hockley unless accompanied by a parent or responsible adult aged over 21 years of age.

Rochford:

• The area known as Rochford Square;

• West Street;

• Weir Pond Road;

• East Street;

• Back Lane including Back Lane car park;

• Union Lane;

• Roche Close (including Boleyn House, Rochefort House, Ormonde House) and North Street from its junction with Roche Close to Weir Pond Road; • Bradley Way;

• Daly’s Road;

• Southend Road and Southend Airport Retail Park, including the McDonalds restaurant.

Hockley:

• Spa Road;

• Station Approach;

• The Foundry Business Park.

The defendant must:

• Participate in further education, employment or training with the support of the Youth Offending Education Worker;

• Attend weekly supervision at the Youth Offending Service to address the anti-social behaviour caused;

• Attend diversionary activities arranged by the Youth Offending Service to encourage the constructive use of leisure time.