Online boasting nets teen an ASBO

A Norfolk teenager has been given a two-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order after posting photographs of himself taking drugs.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, posted images on Bebo of himself taking cannabis and boasting about stealing cars. He also included insults to the police on his profile.

PC Tim Chapman, of Norfolk Constabulary, told The Norfolk Eastern Daily Press: "This individual was caught using good old-fashioned police work, but the comments on the Bebo website demonstrated his attitude towards offending, the community and the police.

"We were able to use that in court and his defence was unable to present his client as an upstanding member of the community because of it. We would consider doing the same thing again."

Norwich Youth Court district judge Philip Browning banned the teenager from using the web to publish material deemed "threatening or abusive" or "promoting criminal activity".

This is the first time an Asbo has been handed out for online behaviour, although it follows warnings that people should be careful about what they put online.