Southend's police chief today said he was disappointed after a teenage tearaway escaped being locked up.
Ronnie Tretton, 18, of Birch Close, Leigh, was the first teenager in the area to have an anti-social behaviour order to prevent him terrorising his neighbourhood.
He was yesterday found to be in breach of the order, imposed seven months ago. A court gave him a 100-hour community punishment order and fined him £75.
Defiant - Ronnie Tretton is in petulant mood as he arrives for his latest court appearance Picture: LUAN MARSHALL
Supt Mick Thwaites spoke of his "extreme disappointment" at the lenient sentence but vowed not to give up on anti-social behaviour orders.
He said: "To say I am extremely disappointed would be an understatement.
"It has taken two years to bring this order to court. We didn't take that decision lightly and felt they would give him an appropriate sentence.
"What we want is to send a clear message to those people who terrorise estates and communities that they won't get away with it."
The order was imposed on Tretton after he terrorised the Danescroft estate in Leigh, committing theft, assault, threatening behaviour, verbal abuse, driving cars while unlicensed, uninsured, untaxed and underage.
He pleaded guilty at Southend Magistrates' Court to breaching the order by using intimidating, threatening and abusive behaviour against a neighbour in November.
Tretton also pleaded guilty to being abusive and threatening to a police officer when he was discovered inside Kingsdown School in Southend last month.
Published Tuesday, January 7, 2003
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