FOUR persistent troublemakers who made residents’ lives a misery for more than two years have each been slapped with an ASBO.

Patrick Hagan Knowles and Daniel Stephen Nield, both 17 and of Luton Road, and Anthony Jason Standeven, 20, were served with a three-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order at Chester, Ellesmere Port and Neston Magistrates Court.

Liam Cameron, 15, of Rossmore Road East, was issued with a two-and-a-half year order.

They were punished for persistent bad behaviour in the Luton Road area, which includes being verbally and physically abusive and threatening towards residents and vandalising cars and properties.

ASBO co-coordinator Michelle Brown said: “These ASBOs should also serve as a warning to others that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.

“We hope they also reassure members of the local community that together with our partner agencies police are taking positive action to reduce anti-social behaviour across the area.”

Inspector Richard Rees praised the efforts of PC Rob Dalton, PC Liam Smithies and PCSO Matthew Fullagar who spoke to residents and collected evidence.

He added: “A lot of people have suffered because of their behaviour. We now need to enforce the orders, making sure the individuals comply with them.”

The orders prohibit all four from behaving in a way likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to anyone or encouraging others to behave in such a way, carrying paint, marker pens, shoe dye, permanent ink, grinding stone, glass cutting equipment, glass etching solution or paste in public.

They are also forbidden from possessing bricks, stones, knives, pen knives, screwdrivers, wrenches, baseball bats and crowbars, encouraging anyone to engage in violence or damage, throwing rocks, stones or bricks at buildings or being with someone committing that offence.

Under the order, they cannot enter the private gardens of any residential property unless invited to do so or be in possession of any opened container of alcohol in any public place, apart from licensed premises once over the age of 18.

All four are prohibited from being in the same company as one another in public, along with other selected males.

If you have any information about anti-social behaviour in your community then contact police on 0845 458 0000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.