WHEN each offence is considered in isolation, the crimes committed by Joanne Mafham and Claire Richards may appear to be relatively minor.

But when repeated vandalism, abuse of shopkeepers and small-scale theft are viewed collectively, their impact on the local community in Darlington is highly damaging.

The vast majority of offences are committed by a tiny minority of people, and by cracking down on those persistent offenders, crime statistics can be dramatically improved.

We welcome the anti-social behaviour orders imposed on Mafham and Richards and hope that the court action leads to an improvement in their appalling behaviour.

The pair started out as nuisances and turned into criminals. The case is an example of how anti-social behaviour gradually became more serious and why a zero tolerance approach to law enforcement is so important.

We publish the girls' photographs on our front page today so that our readers know what they look like and can help police ensure that they do not breach the conditions of the orders.

If you see them together in public places, or behaving badly as individuals in public places, don't hesitate to call the police.

If that happens, we trust the magistrates will keep their promise - and lock them up.