Tackling yobbish behaviour will be a long, hard thankless battle for police, the island's anti-social behaviour chief has insisted.

Ex-Sgt Jack Lawmon, the new Asbo officer for Castle Point, was still surprised by the number of problems being experienced by residents five months into his Home Office-funded post.

He firmly believes officers are in for a "long haul" if vandalism, yobbish kids and tenants-from-hell are going to be banished.

This comes after the Evening Echo told yesterday that the six-month trial period giving police power to disperse groups of teenagers was coming to an end.

Mr Lawmon, who has been fighting crime since 1974, said: "We are now focusing on trouble zones, places and individuals that are known to be problematic.

"By targeting particular areas the work we do will have a greater effect."

Published Thursday September 2, 2004

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