A HIGH-PITCHED device used to disperse groups of young people could be an infringement of human rights, a council ruled yesterday.

Durham County Council's cabinet was told how the ultra-sonic emitter sends out an "annoying'' tone that is audible only to youngsters under the age of 20.

The device, which costs about £500, is designed to stop groups of young people loitering around shops and public buildings. Two of the sound machines were purchased by the Wear and Tees Community Safety Partnership earlier this year.

Elaine Baker, community safety officer for the partnership, said the ideal solution would be to find alternative things for young people to do.

In the real world, however, she said there was a shortage of youth workers and the devices would only be used where there was a persistent problem.

But yesterday, the county's director of children's services, David Williams, said he considered the device to be "discriminatory against young people".

He said: "It could be a infringement of their human rights and is not in line with the council's approach to children and young people."

And despite, the device proving effective and being used by one of the county's crime and disorder partnerships, he urged the council to have nothing to do with it.

Children and young people's groups in the county, he said, were opposed to its use, arguing that it is wrong to make assumptions that young people meeting in groups were automatically up to no good.

Councillor Claire Vasey, cabinet member for children's service, said it would be wrong to promote a device that collectively punished young people simply because they were young.

Durham Police have already voiced their opposition to the device and have no plans to use them.

A spokesman said the force relied on measures such as dispersal orders, diversionary schemes and high-visibility police patrols.