PCSO Brenda Keeble with Jack Palmer and his mum, Elaine after being presented with his award from Kent Police.

by Gerry Warren

A Chartham teenager whose anti-social behaviour blighted the village has been given an award by police because he has stopped being a nuisance.

Jack Palmer, 16, had been responsible for swearing in public, daubing graffiti on signs, causing a disturbance on his mini motorcycle and stealing milk from a milk float.

But now he has been presented with a certificate for successfully completing an Acceptable Behaviour Agreement.

The agreement was between Jack and Canterbury’s Community Safety Unit – run jointly by Kent Police and Canterbury City Council.

The ABA has been in place for three months and during that time police say he has stayed out of trouble and there have been no reports about bad behaviour.

Every week Jack has been visited in his home in The Hyde by PCSO Brenda Keeble who works as a Joint Family Management Programme Officer.

Together they have gone through anger management, coping with peer pressure and discussed issues such as knife crime, underage drinking and anti-social behaviour.

PCSO Keeble explained: “Jack has proven to be a responsible young man, who when he puts his mind to it, can become an asset to the community.

“We are sure that he now knows the meaning of anti-social behaviour and will not knowingly repeat the problems of the past. He should be proud of this achievement.”

Mum Elaine is also delighted by her eldest son’s turn around.

She said: “Jack has always been a helpful boy and will always cut the grass for a neighbour. But before January his attitude was becoming very aggressive and he was getting involved in things he shouldn’t have been.”

Jack, who has been cleaning off the graffiti that has spoiled the village signs, also recognises that he has changed and agrees that he has learned self respect as well as respecting others.

He said: “Before this I was into bad behaviour, theft and graffiti, I just did not think about anyone else,”

But he also has a plea to the local community. “I realise that riding my bike does cause a problem for some people. Perhaps there is someone in the Chartham area who would let me ride it on their land.”

Anyone who could help can contact Brenda Keeble on 01227 862122.