Islington Council bans youth ‘before it’s too late’
Cllr Paul Convery - Credit: Archant
A 16-year-old gang member has been banned from an Islington neighbourhood – as the council makes use of new legal powers to crack down on crime.
The teenager was given an injunction for anti-social behaviour by Highbury Youth Court at the request of Islington Council.
Caught with a knife and arrested a number of times but never charged, he is suspected of being involved in knife crime and associates with a group involved in stabbings.
The injunction prohibits him from entering the majority of the Mildmay ward in north-east Islington for a year, starting from September 1.
If he is caught within the specified area, which includes the Mayville and Kerridge Court estates, he risks being given a period of detention in a young offenders’ institution.
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Cllr Paul Convery, executive member for community safety, said: “This action has been taken in a bid to remove this youth from a life of criminality before it is too late.
“Islington Council has tried everything to help this young man turn himself around but he has refused to do the right thing.
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“He is at serious risk of committing a violent crime or being a victim. It is essential we use every power we have to remove him from that risk.
He added: “We’re now using the new legislation to direct those committing crime or anti-social behaviour – and those on the fringes of it – away from that lifestyle, to safeguard both themselves and others.
“We are already pursuing injunctions against other young people whose lives could be turned around with a combination of this measure and others at our disposal.
“Alongside the injunction, we continue to offer help and support to this young man to seize the opportunity to turn his life around.”
Recently, the leader of Islington Council defended the borough’s response to an “explosion of violence” on its streets, which climaxed with the tragic deaths of teenagers Alan Cartwright and Stefan Appleton.
Speaking earlier this month, Cllr Richard Watts said: “We have a combination of measures
in place. We have stronger enforcement, but also offer help to those who want to leave the lifestyle.”
