Young thugs targeted on "hit list"

Officers have put together a list of 49 tearaways they believe commit around 50 per cent of crime in the town, including criminal damage, shoplifting and car crime.

At a meeting due to be held on Tuesday afternoon, Worthing police planned to come up with ways to deal with the youngsters, who are all under 18 and have been convicted six or more times in the last 12 months.

Chief Inspector Russ Whifield, Worthing district commander, said: "We are planning how to actively target these young people to reduce crime.

"The ways in which we could do this are by doing effective investigation when they are arrested and working with other agencies, such as the court, Shopwatch and Pubwatch."

In previous months, the Herald has called for persistent young offenders to be named and shamed in the interests of the public. By law, the identity of someone under 18 must stay anonymous, unless the court decides otherwise.

In December, 2002, a Chichester Crown Court judge put a 14-year-old East Worthing boy behind bars after he admitted 50 crimes, including a mugging, criminal damage and theft. The judge said Andrew Dillon should be named and shamed because his offences were so serious. Dillon, of Ten Acres, caused 3,960 worth of damage and stole 19,336 worth of goods over two years.

David Chiswell, 14, of Ham Road, was also named and shamed for his part in the mugging of an 81-year-old woman and he was put behind bars for four years. In January this year, a Worthing Herald reporter applied unsuccessfully to Worthing Youth Court for a teenage boy from Southwick to be named. He had broken an anti-social behaviour order, was a dangerous driver and had been named before by a court.

Worthing Youth Court also refused to lift the identification ban on a 14-year-old Lancing boy, who had an alcohol problem and 12 convictions.