A YOUTH has been banned from playing any recorded music from his home.

The silence rule was part of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order imposed on 20-year-old Brad Storey at Durham Magistrates Court recently.

Storey, who lives in Derwentwater Avenue, Chester-le-Street, came before the justices following a string of complaints about his behaviour.

The court heard how he had caused nuisance and distress to local residents by continually playing loud music, sometimes containing offensive lyrics at his home address.

Storey had also caused distress to residents by congregating and becoming loud and abusive with other youths outside his house.

He had caused 'harassment, alarm and distress to pupils and staff at the Hermitage Comprehensive School' - in breach of an Acceptable Behaviour Contract that Storey signed last year, in which he agreed not to frequent the school premises.

Storey had also caused upset to local residents by openly using drugs on February 8, and on January 17, had alarmed a woman and her family by making threats towards them.

The magistrates imposed an Anti-Social Behaviour Order on Storey, which forbids him from trespassing on private property or from being in the Carlingford area of Chester-le-Street's Garden Farm Estate at any time.

He was also banned from playing recorded music from his home and congregating with others in Derwentwater Avenue.

Under the order he has also been forbidden from using drugs within the sight of residents in Derwentwater Avenue and from being under the influence of drugs in any public place and acting in a disorderly or incapable manner or buying alcoholic drink for persons aged under 18 years.

Storey has also been prohibited from assaulting, harassing, intimidating, threatening or abusing any person or inciting or encouraging others to commit any act prohibited by the order.

Durham Constabulary solicitor, Chris Southey, said that the order sent out a clear message to the community that Brad Storey's behaviour was unacceptable.