THUG David Raymond Powell has been banned from the York estate he has terrorised for years.

The 21-year-old has been barred from Chapelfields after a court heard he was the "ringleader" of the trio of louts who blighted the community.

His brother, Lee James Powell, and their associate Kevin Scott were both banned from Chapelfields by antisocial behaviour orders (Asbos) in February. Now, if any of them set foot in Chapelfields before 2010 they could face a prison sentence.

Sergeant Mike Stubbs, who is responsible for policing Acomb, said: "David Powell, Lee Powell and Kevin Scott are certainly not the only youths involved in antisocial behaviour in the area, but I regard the three of them as being the ringleaders on the estate.

"I am confident there will be a noticeable improvement in the quality of life for Chapelfields residents, but we are not complacent, and if anyone else acts in the manner of these three we will take the same firm approach.

"The image of Chapelfields has suffered from the activities of a small number of youths whose behaviour has blighted the lives of the people living there, and I see these three orders as a major step forward."

Powell, of Leeside, Dringhouses, did not attend court - even though he had been told about the hearing on a number of occasions - but magistrates sitting in Selby decided to press on with the Asbo application without him.

Powell's lawyer, Steven Gibbons, said his client had been put behind bars in December for a violent incident in a pub on Boxing Day, and since his release in May he had stayed out of trouble.

But Julian Crossley, on behalf of City of York Council, argued that in the six months before his custodial sentence there had been nine allegations of antisocial behaviour against Powell.

Two of these, including being abusive towards a police officer, had been proved.

Mr Crossley said it had often been difficult to secure convictions because witnesses were too afraid to come forward.

Presiding magistrate Ron Humphries said a "climate of fear" existed in Chapelfields.

He said: "I am satisfied that this order is necessary to protect the people of York and, in particular, the people of Chapelfields."

Speaking after the hearing, a City of York Council spokesman said: "The council is pleased for the residents of Chapelfields who have had to suffer nuisance and harassment from David Powell over a long period of time, and we hope that this sends out the message that we will continue to work closely with the police to tackle antisocial behaviour."

:: If you see this man violate his Asbo call the police

David Raymond Powell was already the subject of a temporary Asbo imposed in December, banning him from the Chapelfields estate - but that expired in April.

Now magistrates have banned David Raymond Powell from entering the area of Chapelfields, York, bounded by Wetherby Road, the A1237, Garage Lane and Ridgeway.

Powell is also prohibited from entering Beckfield Lane between its junction with Wetherby Road and its junction with Boroughbridge Road.

If you see Powell in that area in the next five years, he is committing a crime - so call the police immediately.

Under the terms of the Asbo, Powell is also banned from:

threatening, using or inciting violence towards any person

causing, attempting to cause or inciting criminal damage within the City of York Council area

carrying a bladed or pointed article which could be used as a weapon in a public place within the City of York Council area

and engaging in any behaviour which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person not of the same household as himself within the City of York Council area.

:: The Police

On Monday the Evening Press reported that almost half of all Asbos in York had been breached by offenders - but police said there was evidence the orders did work.

After magistrates granted an Asbo against David Powell, Sergeant Mike Stubbs said: "In my opinion our Asbos have been very successful. Many of the orders that we have obtained in York have been complied with and people have stayed out of trouble. But for those who do not comply, the Asbos give the police and the courts extra powers to deal with them."

:: The Reaction

After the Asbo hearing, Rosie Wall, chairwoman of Chapelfields Residents' Assocation, said: "In a way it's a shame that it has had to come to this. Let's hope that David Powell will now be able to think carefully about things and turn his life around.

"David, Lee and Kevin have all done things I think they now regret. Of course, they shouldn't have done what they did, but there's some good inside everybody, and I just hope they use this opportunity to grow up and get on with their lives."

:: The Ringleaders

Lee James Powell, 19, was banned from Chapelfields for five years in February.

He started his long criminal career shoplifting aged 13. In November 2004 he was convicted by a York jury for threatening police officers with a pickaxe. Judge Scott Wolstenholme ordered him to complete two years of community rehabilitation and imposed an Asbo at the same time. Powell moved away from York to live with his mother at Market Weighton, East Yorkshire.

Kevin Iain Scott, 22, was twice convicted for attacking buses on the Chapelfields estate. A spokesman for bus operator First York said vandals like Scott had at times forced the company to suspend all bus services to the estate. The Acomb resident was given a five-year Asbo banning him from Chapelfields in February, following a string of offences.

Updated: 10:15 Saturday, July 16, 2005