HUNDREDS of posters and leaflets naming and shaming a 12-year-old North-East tearaway were put up in his home community yesterday.

Pictures of baby-faced John Ashley Kinsella were distributed in the Tindale Crescent and Woodhouse Close areas of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, alerting residents to an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) imposed on him by magistrates on Monday.

Wear Valley District Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Panel had compiled a list of 43 examples of his actions.

They included shoplifting, spitting, throwing stones, swearing and resisting arrest.

He targeted other children as well as pensioners, and was often drunk.

The order runs for three years and contains eight conditions.

PC Richie Clein, who patrols the area around Kinsella's home, said: "This is quite a good result. Three years for an order of this type is quite strong.

"The complaints have come from the elderly to the very young, right across the board."

Council leader Councillor Neil Stonehouse said "We have a strong commitment to protecting our communities from the effects of anti-social behaviour that are caused by a few mindless people in our society.

"Irrespective of the age or background of offenders, we will use Asbos where necessary to protect the law-abiding majority of our citizens.

"In this particular case we have used the Asbo against Master Kinsella as a last resort, as he has been given numerous opportunities to improve his behaviour.

"However, he has chosen to persist in his behaviour by threatening people and property and we were left with no other option."