PROLIFIC offenders in York could be named and shamed as part of police moves to target the city's worst hooligans.

A nationwide "league of shame" of 5,000 persistent criminals, thugs and disruptive residents has been drawn up by crime-fighting bosses determined to crack down on antisocial behaviour.

Earlier this year, senior York police officers said the majority of crime and disorder in the city was committed by a hardcore of an estimated 300 people who were known to the authorities.

The Evening Press has learned that officers have already drawn-up top ten lists of persistent offenders in the areas of burglary and criminal damage for both the York and Selby districts.

Beat officers are encouraged to learn to identify these offenders so that they can be targeted during patrols, or if seen acting suspiciously in the community.

They are also told to push for prosecutions at every opportunity.

Under the new Prolific And Priority Offender (PPO) scheme senior officers could choose to name thugs who refuse to stop causing a nuisance or are involved in vandalism, graffiti and fly-tipping.

Meanwhile, all community safety agencies will work together to identify and monitor offenders, while offering support to help break the cycle of crime. Under PPOs, criminals will be put through intensive and closely-controlled programmes, including drug treatment, to steer them away from crime. If they break the rules, they face being fast-tracked before the courts.

Offenders released back into the community after sentencing will be monitored using hi-tech tagging and tracking technology.

Home Secretary David Blunkett said a handful of offenders can "wreak havoc" in neighbourhoods, making the lives of the law-abiding majority a misery.

Carole Patrick, of Safer York Partnership, welcomed the scheme, but said York Police had already been targeting persistent offenders for some time.

She said: "In York we have already been targeting persistent offenders for some time, using Home Office funding, to try and break the cycle of criminal behaviour. We have been helping to provide close supervision and support for persistent offenders which addresses the criminal and social issues in an effort to prevent re-offending."

At the launch of the PPO scheme, Mr Blunkett said: "From today, the efforts of the police and all the criminal justice agencies across the country will focus on this high-offending group.

"Not only to catch them and bring them to justice, but to stop them re-offending."

Updated: 13:41 Wednesday, September 08, 2004