SCORES of crooks dodging community punishments handed out by the courts are to receive a rude awakening.

Special arrest teams have been organised across Tees-side to round up up to 80 people avoiding justice.

Those rounded up in the first force-wide operation of its kind yesterday will be hauled back to the courts with the prospect of spending Christmas in prison.

"A lot of suspects are still committing criminal offences and boasting that they have got away with ignoring punishments handed out by the courts," said Detective Inspector Colin Tansley.

"Now justice is catching up with them."

"They know there is a warrant out for them, that they have not complied with a court order.

"They have the opportunity to sort it out or we will come for them.

"I think many of them will think they have got away it, that if they hide long enough the warrant will be dropped. But they now stand a chance of going to prison.

"This is a joint operation and the first of a number of initiatives we have to target these people.

"Those suspects found at home will be immediately arrested.

"The simple question for those who have failed to comply with a community punishment order is: 'Do they want to spend Christmas at home, or at Holme House prison?'''

Operation Thunder organised by Cleveland Police, the courts and the probation service got under way with shock home visits across Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool, and east Cleveland, at 7am, yesterday.

The co-ordinated, joint operation was organised after the extent of the problem was realised.

Police teams called at addresses armed with warrants, taking those tracked down back to magistrates' courts in what was the first in a series of arrest days.

Alistair Morrison, assistant chief probation officer, said: "People who appear before magistrates and are sentenced to community punishment orders are expected to carry them out.

"Matters will not go away if they fail to turn up and carry out the work allocated to them. Community penalties are not a soft option.''

He added: "People who are brought back to court could well find that the orders are revoked and a new punishment imposed.

"We are determined these people will pay for their crimes."