Teenager handed Criminal Behaviour Order for series of offences in Freshwater

A teenager has been handed an 18 month Criminal Behaviour Order for a raft of offences in Freshwater.

The 14-year-old, who can’t be named for legal reasons, embarked on a campaign of offences which made the lives of local people and businesses miserable.

The bulk of offending centred on shoplifting, but the boy was also involved in ongoing issues of anti-social behaviour in the town, and also harassed one of his elderly neighbours.

Local officers investigated a number of offences involving the boy, and he was charged with the following:

• Two counts of theft, relating to a drink, alcohol and a sandwich stolen from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 23 April this year.
• Criminal damage to a window at Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 25 April this year.
• Two counts of theft, relating to a chocolate bar and energy drinks stolen from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 22 May this year.
• Three counts of theft, relating to energy drinks, chocolate bars and biscuits stolen from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 23 May this year.
• Theft of chocolate bars from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 25 May this year.
• Theft of chocolate bars from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 3 June this year.
• Theft of chocolate bars from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 9 June this year.
• Two counts of theft, relating to chocolate bars stolen from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 10 June this year.
• Three counts of theft, relating to food and drink stolen from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 13, 14 and 17 June this year.
• Three counts of theft, relating to food and drink stolen from Sainsbury’s on School Green Road on 19 June this year.
• Harassment – between 26 June and 28 June pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment against a woman in her late 60s in Freshwater, knocking on her windows, kicking her door and banging her door.
• Using threatening and abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress on 3 July, in which he shouted homophobic abuse against a police officer.

The boy admitted all of the offences at the Isle of Wight Youth Court, and appeared at the same court on Wednesday 5 July to be sentenced. He was handed the CBO in addition to a Youth Rehabilitation Order.

Combined, the two orders prohibit the boy from associating with certain named individuals; entering any retail premises from which he is banned without a parent/guardian/responsible adult present; and causing anyone harassment, alarm or distress by any social media platform or messaging service. He is also subject to an exclusion order banning him from entering a specified area of Freshwater, and he must attend appointments with the Youth Offending Team and engage in a rehabilitation activity.

Chief Inspector Alex Charge said: “This young man has wreaked misery on the village of Freshwater, showing absolutely no regard whatsoever for the law or the impact his offending has had on local people.

“Officers from the Wight Rural West team have persisted in investigating the incidents reported to us, and I am pleased in particular with the efforts of PCs Ewa Gunter and Marie Pragnell whose determination has resulted in charges being secured and the offender being brought before the courts.

“A CBO and YRO are both now in place with clear conditions. If the boy breaks these then he risks going to prison.

“On the occasions where we deal with young offenders and youths involved in anti-social behaviour, we do everything we can to work with Community Safety partners and local services to divert youngsters away from this type of behaviour so they can make a positive contribution to society.

“Sadly there are still a very small minority, like the boy in this case, whose continuous offending does require us to take more robust action through the courts.

“We know the impact that ASB can have on our communities. This is something that is being recognised nationally this week as part of National ASB Awareness Week, and locally we are committed to reducing it and taking action against those responsible.

“We want to stamp out this type of behaviour, and encourage affected residents to please keep reporting this to us so we can take the most appropriate action to reduce any disruption to the local community.”