Girl given Asbo after sounding foghorn in pensioner's ear

A court heard that ring leader Chelsea Godden, 16, and her gang terrorised the residents of a Norfolk market town Godden was involved in more than 60 incidents of anti-social behaviour during an eight-month crime spree in North Walsham.

Her list of wrongdoings included the air horn nuisance, harassing supermarket staff, hurling verbal abuse at high school pupils, and smashing bottles in a churchyard.

The teenager, from Howlett Close, North Walsham, was also reported for running amok at a community centre, under-age drinking on the street, being involved in a violent altercation with Polish people, and swearing at an off-duty chief inspector who jogged past her.

On Thursday, she became the first person in usually genteel north Norfolk to be given a full anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) after agreeing to be excluded from a large part of North Walsham so residents can have a respite from her reign of terror.

Police will now be distributing leaflets with the details of Godden's ban and photograph across the town so people can keep a check on whether she breaches the court order.

North Norfolk's anti-social behaviour co-ordinator Jay Mitchell said: 'The behaviour of Godden, and the gang associated with her, was escalating and getting more intimidating and violent.

'I am pleased the order has been granted as it will give people of North Walsham a welcome rest from her behaviour.'

A large part of her behaviour was targeted at the town's Sainsbury store, including throwing stones, swearing at staff and pushing the manager, who was forced to employ extra security guards to deal with her. Because of the scale of Godden's behaviour and her reluctance to work with crime reduction officers, North Norfolk District Council and Norfolk Police decided to apply for the Asbo.

Emma Duncan, prosecuting for the district council, told magistrates at Cromer, Norfolk: 'She is not the only person who was indulging in harassment and intimidation in North Walsham. But we do think she was the ring leader.

'The community needs to know that type of behaviour will not be tolerated and that people who engage in anti-social behaviour will be called to account for their actions.'

The Asbo prevents Godden from entering a large swathe of the town including North Walsham High School and its grounds, War Memorial Park, Market Place, King's Arm Street and St Nicholas' Church.

Last month she was handed a temporary Asbo banning her from the centre of North Walsham, a move which saw the number of reported of incidents drop sharply in the last weeks and saw Godden stay out of trouble.

Ms Duncan, arguing for the Asbo to become permanent, said: 'The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Since the interim Asbo was granted the group Godden hangs around with has gone to ground.'

Gooden's defence team tried to prevent the press naming the teenager on the grounds that it would affect her family, create false reports of her misbehaving and encourage the public to enforce the Asbo when that was the job of the police.

Kevin Batch, for Godden, said: 'You are two steps away from effectively encouraging vigilantism.

'Chelsea does accept her behaviour has been rather less than exemplary. This is a 16-year-old-girl with her whole life ahead of her.'

Godden also failed to sign an acceptable behaviour contract last November and had breached six dispersal orders in the town Her Asbo would be regularly reviewed and that if she kept out of trouble her order could be revoked by magistrates.

If Godden breaches the order by entering the town centre she could be sentenced for up to one year in a young offenders' institute with a further year's supervision.

An Asbo application is due to be made against another member of Godden's gang.