THREE weeks ago a York court decided against imposing the city's first criminal anti-social behaviour order (CRASBO) on Marlon Judson, a notorious thief. Magistrates were lenient because they did not believe his actions were "of the kind to cause harassment, alarm or distress".

This was a mistake. We said at the time that "until York dispenses joined-up justice the criminals will be laughing". They still are. It was dja vu all over again at York Magistrates Court yesterday.

A thief with scores of previous convictions appeared before the bench. Again, his drug addiction fuelled his crime spree, again he was on the police's top ten list of prolific shoplifters.

And again the magistrates decided against a CRASBO, considering it "too draconian" for Scott Anderson Wilson's offences.

Magistrates were right to take into account Wilson's attempts to wean himself off his addictions. He should not be denied a second chance.

But he hasn't been. He was well past his second chance when he appeared in court this time around. Like Judson, Wilson is a man who has stolen again and again from York shops.

One of the offences he admitted yesterday was breaching a previous community rehabilitation order. Astonishingly, magistrates sentenced him to exactly such an order again.

In these circumstances, a CRASBO is far from draconian. It would have allowed Wilson to continue his counselling programme while adding an extra incentive to succeed - stay sober and straight and stay out of jail.

The Government introduced CRASBOs to tackle one-man crime waves such as Scott Wilson. York police, the Safer York Partnership and Retailers Against Crime in York must be wondering what someone has to do to receive one.

Updated: 10:11 Tuesday, March 16, 2004