A TEARAWAY teen who spits at people and a potty-mouthed pest who keeps dialling 999 are just some of the Worcester rogues put on a tighter leash.

Last year was a bumper year for criminal behaviour orders (CBOs) despite the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year is following in the same vein after a 17-year-old lout who likes to spit at people and throw stones and eggs at them was made subject to one of the first CBOs of the year.

The draconian orders give the courts greater powers to jail repeat offenders where other forms of punishment and rehabilitation have failed to keep them on the straight and narrow.

These orders are only imposed on the most persistent and anti-social offenders, including shoplifters, drunken louts and neighbours from hell who all have one thing in common - making the lives of people in the city a misery.

We can reveal that, in total, 51 CBOs are now in force across the South Worcester Local Policing Area - 11 of them granted in 2020 to Worcester offenders whose behaviour occurred primarily within the city.

Six were granted to offenders in other towns and villages within South Worcestershire, including towns like Malvern, Evesham and Pershore.

Last year nuisance Theresa Martindale who made repeated 999 calls, harassed police and swore at library staff was made subject to a three year criminal behaviour order.

The menace is banned from making calls to emergency services unless it is a ‘genuine emergency’ and is excluded from The Hive in Worcester after she swore at staff.

The 59-year-old, of no fixed abode, made 18 calls to West Mercia Police between July 16 and August 1 last year, breaching a six month conditional discharge imposed on July 14 last year for similar behaviour.

She admitted making persistent use of a public communication network to cause annoyance, anxiety and inconvenience. Julia Powell, representing Martindale, said: “This is a desperately sad situation.”

Martindale is prohibited from: Ringing the emergency services unless a genuine emergency; ringing police (including 101), ambulance service (including 111) or other emergency services for help and then refusing entry or refusing to engage, or ringing these services to report false or malicious incidents; from making contact directly or indirectly with Martin Cook; from entering The Hive, and from behaving in any manner that causes or is likely to cause alarm, harassment or distress including shouting and swearing at people or within public hearing and making threats towards others.

This year Kyle Cannaway, 17, was made subject to a three year CBO.

He is prohibited from: using foul language or being verbally abusive towards others or within the hearing of others who are alarmed and distressed by it; behaving in a threatening manner or making threats towards others including, but not limited to, threats over social media and other forms of electronic communication; refusing to leave an area, building or location when asked by someone with the authority to do so.

Further to this, he is banned from entering Worcester city centre as defined in a map provided to him (save for when in certain specific circumstances); throwing stones, sticks, eggs or any other missiles at people, vehicles or property and spitting at or towards anyone.

Drunken nuisance Carl Bainbridge who spat at and tried to punch police was last year banned from The Hive and Lowesmoor in Worcester.

He was slapped with a three year criminal behaviour order granted at Worcester Magistrates Court after police persistence paid off.

The case had been adjourned 12 times, partly due the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the courts and the pest has been convicted of being drunk and disorderly nine times since the application was lodged.

The order prohibits Bainbridge from entering the library in Sawmill Walk but also stipulates that he must not refuse to leave a premises or area when asked by someone who has authority to do so.

Bainbridge, of no fixed abode, must not enter the area of Lowesmoor and Sansome Place or Heenans Court, Worcester and has been given maps which show him clearly where the no go areas are.

The CBO application was submitted by police on the back of a conviction for a public disorder offence he committed on February 4 last year in Farrier Street, Worcester where he was shouting and swearing at people within sight and hearing of members of the public.

A police spokesman said: "Then lockdown happened and courts shut and the CBO was adjourned a further 12 times. During this time and since the CBO application was submitted back in February, Bainbridge was arrested and convicted at court for being drunk and disorderly nine times and twice for public disorder."

We reported in 2018 how police were called to the Homesense store in Worcester on March 10, to a report of a drunk customer having an argument with a manager.

After arriving, offices spoke to Bainbridge who then spat at a police officer in front of families including small children.

In 2017 we reported how the persistent offender was given a suspended sentence after swearing and assaulting a police officer.

He pushed and attempted to punch a police community support officer after he was asked to leave Lowesmoor, in Worcester.

The incident happened on Sunday, February 26, 2017 after two officers advised Bainbridge not to drink in an alcohol controlled zone.

Officers use a wide range of tools and powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2014, which includes regular use of Community Protection Notices and Closure Orders.

A diversionary process is followed with the aim being that officers intervene early in response to reports of anti- social behaviour, a frequent first step is the issue of anti-social behaviour warning letters.

Local police officers will also visit perpetrators of anti social behaviour providing preventative advice, and will hold multi agency meetings to discuss prolific perpetrators in order to determine if other diversionary tactics can be used in order to reduce and prevent further offending.

A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: "This process has proven successful, with approximately 60 per cent of offenders receiving written warnings at the earliest stage ceasing any further offending.

"The granting of a CBO to prolific offenders is a final option where all other options open to officers have been considered and taken. The further instigation of specific CBO restrictions are an essential tool enabling officers to focus on the small number of prolific offenders within the South Worcestershire area."