Teen Asbo yob banned from all of Midlothian

Published on Wednesday 12 August 2009 09:44

A TEENAGE tearaway has been hit with an Asbo banning him from an entire county in the first case of its kind in Scotland.

Gavin Inkster, who lives in Edinburgh, faces arrest if he steps foot in neighbouring Midlothian, where he has been accused of a catalogue of offences including car theft, assault, and vandalism.

The 19-year-old is said to have terrorised residents in Dalkeith during the past 18 months, prompting police and council officials to take the drastic action to "protect the community".

Inkster, who is originally from the Woodburn area of the town, mocks police on his Bebo website and brags "You can take the boy out of Widburn, but you can't take the Widburn out of the boy".

Inspector Bob Innes, who helped build the case against Inkster, said today: "Well, we've managed to take this boy out of Woodburn."

The Asbo was granted against Inkster after Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that his charges included theft, road traffic offences, assault, breach of the peace, housebreaking, vehicle theft and the misuse of drugs. Council officials also gathered testimony about Inkster's behaviour from terrified local residents to present during the hearing.

Inspector John McGill, who was also involved in the case, said today: "This is the first time someone has been banned from the whole of Midlothian.

"There are others barred from areas, but he is a well-known face and it was decided to take this action to protect the community."

Inkster, who now lives in Craigmillar, grew up in Woodburn and continued to visit family members in the area while meeting up with friends to cause havoc.

Messages on Inkster's Bebo website mock the police and make light of Inkster being locked up.

One reads: "God Made W****** Big And Small, Dalkeith Police Employed Them All."

Photographs posted on his site include a section marked 'The Jail' and images of a detention cell with "My home" underneath. Another shows an Evening News front page featuring the headline, "Police Smash City Teenage Joyride Gang" from December 2006, with "The Police try and stop us" written next to it.

Insp McGill added: "His family come from the Woodburn area of Dalkeith and that is why he was coming into Midlothian, to see friends and family. He is one of a few notorious troublemakers there. Others have been banned from Woodburn, or certain parts of it, or are under curfew.

"These orders work similarly to bail conditions and if he is seen coming into Midlothian, he will be arrested." The order bans Inkster from entering Midlothian for the next three years.

Insp Innes, who is seconded with Midlothian Council as community safety manager, said Inkster was one of the worst repeat offenders in the county.

He added: "We presented evidence dating back to March 2008 which contained a number of charges. He was living outside Midlothian, so we decided seeking a ban from the county was the best option here."

A spokeswoman for Midlothian Council said the case proved the local authority was willing to crack down on antisocial behaviour.

"The council will continue to utilise all aspects of the antisocial behaviour act to ensure the safety of its residents. This is the first Asbo granted in Midlothian with such specific conditions. These are designed to prevent a pattern of offending and make the community a safer place."

Inkster could not be contacted for comment.