A Witham couple and their son have been banned from parts of their housing estate for allegedly intimidating neighbours and shopkeepers in the Templars area.

The order was made on the eve of a visit to the troubled estate by top Labour Minister Ian McCartney, who praised residents for strengthening their community by working together.

It is the first time an order has been issued against both parents and a son from one family in mid-Essex.

Witham magistrates granted a temporary order forbidding Robert and Sharon Roulston, of Munro Road, from abusing or threatening anyone on Templars, or inciting anyone else to do so, for the next six months.

They were warned that, if they broke the order, they could be jailed for up to five years or fined an unlimited sum by a judge at Crown Court.

Last week, their 22-year-old son, John, was given an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO), banning him from parts of the Templars estate for three years.

John was also jailed for three months for intimidating a witness and assaulting a 16-year-old boy.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard that John had been shot in both ankles and beaten by the IRA when the family lived in Ireland.

The judge was also told that his father Robert, 50, had also been beaten and left disabled by the Irish National Liberation Army. The police helped the family to relocate to England.

Asking the Witham bench for the order on behalf of Braintree District Council on Monday, counsel Harriet Voelcker said the Roulstons were accused of intimidating residents, some of whom were too frightened to come forward and give evidence against them. The interim order was to cover the council until the allegations could be heard fully.

The court ordered the couple to stay away from the estate's doorstep green, the Chippy shop and two other addresses, and not to threaten, abuse or intimidate anyone for six months or the date of the next hearing.

The council's instructing solicitor, Brenda Sipple, said: "We worked hard to obtain this order against these people so we could protect residents from the fear which was ruining their quality of life. Some of them have suffered for a long time."

During Tuesday's visit, Minister without Portfolio Mr McCartney praised residents' work in transforming the muddy wasteland in the centre of the estate into a focus for community sport and life under a doorstep green project.

"They are extraordinary people and they have achieved something extraordinary," he said.

The green now has basketball and football facilities, two play areas, a teenage meeting place, seating areas, a picnic area, new paths and new shrubs and trees. It was paid for by Government grants, and cash and help from town and district councils.

Asked where he stood on the national debate over whether or not ASBO victims should be named, Mr McCartney said: "It's for a very good reason. Many people are quite prepared to breach the orders and continue in their old ways. It's vital that residents know they have won their case."

Published Friday March 18, 2005

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