A TEENAGE thug who killed a good Samaritan as he tried to break up a street fight had been given an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) by the courts only eight days earlier.

Sixteen-year-old Gary Prescott appeared at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday to admit the manslaughter of family man Thomas Noble.

The 52-year-old was fatally injured when he stepped in to help a girl caught up in gang violence near his Sunderland home earlier this year.

The news comes as Home Office figures revealed that almost half of all Asbos imposed by the courts are being breached by the yobs they are meant to control.

The taxi driver was found lying unconscious in Roker Baths Road, on the evening of April 22, only yards from his terraced home in Moreland Street.

He suffered a heart attack in the ambulance on the way to hospital and was placed on a life support machine, but died two days later surrounded by his family.

It is believed that Mr Noble was felled by a single blow from a weapon and smashed his head against the kerb.

Ten youths were initially arrested by police investigating Mr Noble's death, but nine were eventually released.

Yesterday, Prescott, of Kinghorn Square, Sunderland, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was remanded in custody until July 6 for sentencing.

Judge David Hodson ordered pre-sentence reports but told Prescott: "The fact these reports are being ordered does not indicate in any way the nature of the sentence you will receive.

"All sentencing options, as far as you are concerned, will be open to the court."

During yesterday's hearing, it emerged that Sunderland Youth Court had imposed an Asbo on Prescott on April 14, the terms of which prevented him causing harassment, alarm or distress, drinking in the street or stealing vehicles.

The juvenile already had previous convictions for criminal damage and being drunk and disorderly.

Little over a week later, he killed Mr Noble.

After yesterday's court appearance, Deteive Chief Inspector Brian Dawson, who led the inquiry, said: "Thomas Noble was an honest, decent, hard-working man who intervened when he thought someone was in trouble.

"Tragically, he lost his life as a result of a cowardly attack on him by an individual who had already been warned repeatedly about his anti-social behaviour."

Mr Noble, who two years earlier had been given the all-clear after treatment for cancer, lived with his partner, Pauline Cowan, and two step-children.

He also had three adult children from his marriage to ex-wife Pat Scott - Paul, 29, Stacey, 24, and Deborah, 19.

The family issued a statement yesterday saying they had been devastated by the death of Mr Noble, a keen angler and DIY enthusiast who enjoyed holidays abroad.

The family said: "He was a private, deep person, but extremely quick-witted with a very dry sense of humour. Tom was great company and always made people laugh."

They added: "The fact Tom was trying to help someone on the night he was attacked is typical of how he was. If someone was being bothered or about to be hurt, whether he knew them or not, he would go over and help.

"We just want the person who did this to him never to do it to anyone else."