Asbo family banned from borough

The Bridges were allegedly involved in organised vehicle crime

A family of five have been banned from harassing anyone in England and Wales and also banned from their home borough of Wirral.

A court was told the Bridge family's neighbours in Grosvenor Road, New Brighton, had "lived in fear" of them.

District Judge Nick Sanders issued the anti-social behaviour order on Thursday at Birkenhead Magistrates Court.

It affects John Bridge, 40, his wife Karen, 37, and their sons John Jnr, 20, Alan, 18, and Luke, 16.

The family were alleged to have been involved in threatening and violent behaviour, verbal abuse, intimidation and criminal behaviour, including dangerous driving and organised vehicle crime.

The reputation of the family is very strong and residents were incredibly frightened of reprisals Caroline Laing, Wirral Anti-Social Behaviour Team

John Jnr and Alan are currently serving prison sentences and, along with their parents, are banned until September 2012, while Luke has been banned from returning to Wirral until March 2009.

Wirral Council said it believed the family had left the borough, but did not know where they were now living.

Merseyside Police considered the family such a problem they created a special unit to target them named Operation Nashville.

Ch Supt Alan Jones said outside court that the family's behaviour had been "intolerable".

'Intolerable behaviour'

He said: "By standing up against the intimidation and intolerable behaviour of this family, members of the community have helped us reclaim their neighbourhood.

"I would strongly encourage anyone who is suffering from anti-social behaviour to do the same."

Caroline Laing, Wirral Anti-Social Behaviour Team manager, said: "It has been incredibly difficult to deal with.

"The reputation of the family is very strong and residents were incredibly frightened of reprisals."

Wirral Council said it believed it was the biggest ever Asbo application against a single family.

In October 2004, it applied for an interim Asbo without telling the family or informing them of the hearing, saying it was necessary because it feared the family's neighbours would otherwise be at risk.

On Tuesday, the orders were issued against the family and a temporary order banning them from being identified was lifted on Thursday.