BYDERMOT KEYS
This week sees the introduction of ASBOs for children aged between 12 and 18 found guilty of extreme anti-social behaviour. Gardai already have the option of imposing ASBOs on adults but can now extend the same penalties to minors.
While many will welcome the opportunity to sanction children who behave in an unacceptable manner, ASBOs have been controversial since implemented in the UK. The Irish system allows only gardai of Superintendent rank and higher to apply for an Order while constables in the UK can do so. Another issue was whether an ASBO was seen as a badge of honour, or rite of passage, to some young offenders.
Hopefully the Gardai exercise a little more discretion than their neighbours across the water. Looking through some of the Orders awarded to people in Britain, it's hard to take them entirely seriously.
One case concerned a 37 years old mother who was banned from singing or playing loud music in her home. It may seem extreme until you read on and find out that her music of choice was a "Very Best of Power Ballads" box-set. Songs included numbers from Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, and Europe's "The Final Countdown." In a victory for music lovers everywhere, she had four stereos confiscated by the Courts.
GRANDMOTHER
A harsher consequence of ASBOs can be noted in the case of a 77 years old grandmother threatened with eviction by her local Council. Her crime was to encourage her son to visit. Unfortunately, he had been issued with a three year Anti-Social Behaviour Order banning him from entering the estate his mother lived in.
Sartorial restrictions have also been introduced. Two young brothers were banned from wearing hoodies after terrorising their local area in Newport.
"I'm never going to stop wearing hoodies... All my tops are hoodies - I haven't got anything else to wear. It's ******* stupid," was the eloquent response from one of brothers. They'll no doubt be future pillars of their community.
A stranger case concerned a woman given an ASBO for repeatedly trying to commit suicide. Having tried to drown herself on many occasions, she was banned from entering the sea, the beaches and parts of the promenade in the town of Aberyswyth. I'm not sure how much of a disincentive this will be to someone who's suicidal.
A 13 years old boy in Scotland was threatened with an Order unless he stopped practising his bagpipes outside after neighbours complained. Coincidentally, the boy in question was taking part in an initiative organised by the same council to encourage children to take up the bagpipes. He had been voluntarily teaching schoolchildren how to play the pipes as part of the scheme.
Perhaps the strangest incident involved an unborn baby. The prodigious foetus was threatened with an ASBO unless he stopped annoying neighbours by driving his scooter around the area. A written apology was issued by the Council upon realising its mistake.
But not all ASBOs are bad. One over zealous car clamper was banned from illegally clamping cars. His crimes included driving his truck into a 60 years old man, attempting to clamp people making three point turns and clamping an on-duty police car.
