A man has been banned from riding a bicycle and from entering any car park in England or Wales, by magistrates.

Appearing before Teesside Magistrates on the same day he was released from Holme House Prison, Stockton, 21-year-old Christopher James Wood found himself back in court - and the subject of an interim anti social behaviour order (ASBO).

The application was made yesterday by Stockton Council and Cleveland Police, "to protect the people of Stockton-on-Tees."

Prosecuting solicitor Marie Nevison told the Bench: "This application is to protect the community at large. Car crime shows when Mr Wood is incarcerated car crime drops: as soon as he is released, it dramatically rises."

Wood formerly of Londonderry Road, Stockton, is forbidden by the interim order from touching any car without the owner's permission, within the Cleveland Police area or from carrying a screwdriver, hammer, knives or metal bars which could be used in any theft.

He is also barred from entering Commercial Street or the Council of Europe Boulevard, Stockton.

The application for the order was made "in respect of various acts between March 8, 2002 and March 26, 2004."

Mrs Nevison described Wood as a "persistent offender."

Brett Wildridge, representing Wood, applied in vain to have the matter adjourned, saying Wood had not been given a reasonable opportunity to instruct a solicitor, having just been released from jail on Friday morning.

But the court agreed to review the order on September 3 and the interim order will run until midnight that day.

After the court hearing, Detective Superintendent Shane Sellars said of Wood: "He is a one man crime wave and we hope this will greatly restrict his ability to commit crimes on the streets.

"Officers will be keeping an eye out for him and any breaches of this order will be dealt with immediately."