A BOY of 15 has been named and shamed by magistrates who imposed an anti-social behaviour order on him.

Austin Mays, of Queens Road on Gravesend's Kings Farm Estate, was given a three-year ASBO for long periods of criminal and anti-social behaviour after many complaints by residents.

The ASBO prevents Mays from:

* Causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person in the Local Authority area

* Using or threatening violence or inciting anyone to do so

* Engaging in any form of criminal damage

* Throwing stones and missiles, which is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person

* Being drunk in a public place

If any one of these conditions is broken, Mays will be arrested and could face up to five years in prison.

Sgt Adrian Payne, from the North Kent Crime Reduction Unit, said: "Mays was involved in a long period of criminal and anti-social behaviour, mainly in the Kings Farm Estate area of Gravesend.

"He caused a lot of distress to residents and affected the quality of life for many people."

Residents complained about Mays to the Gravesham anti-social behaviour group following a number of incidents.

This group is made up of members of Gravesham borough council, local housing associations, North Kent police, West Kent education department, social services, the youth offending team, Kent county council youth services and the environmental health department, who all look at the offenders behaviour in the community.

Maria Nicholson from the Gravesham anti-social behaviour group said: "We hope that the ASBO will assist in improving the quality of life of residents and reduce crime and disorder in Kings Farm.

"ASBOs are just one of the actions used by the police and local authorities to tackle the problem of anti-social behaviour."

A countywide police operation called Excalibur that targets anti-social behaviour will continue throughout the year.