UNRULY youths who congregate around a Keighley school now face being locked up.

The school has threatened disorderly pupils and youths with the custodial sentences in a bid to curb trespassing.

Oakbank School has been working with the police to stop young people congregating on the school grounds and causing damage outside school hours.

In conjunction with the council, schools can apply for anti-social behaviour orders, which are designed to control anti-social tenants.

A warning letter is issued threatening that an order is to be served, and if the problems persist an order with conditions imposed by the county court is served.

If these orders are flouted, custodial sentences can be given to offenders -- including children as young as ten.

Already one Bradford School has served letters to three pupils warning that it is considering applying for orders against them.

Head teacher at Oakbank School John Roberts supports the orders as a last resort to secure the premises outside of school hours.

He said: "People using our facilities have been disrupted by a group of youths who were being unpleasant and threatening. They wouldn't leave the pitches and were causing problems persistently.

"They realised that the recreation managers and security men had no powers to turn them off the site."

Mr Roberts added: "These orders can now be served with police backing, and the responsibility is with the parents to take control of their children.

"These orders are stronger than other punishments. Only a small handful of the children causing the problems are pupils at Oakbank, but regardless, we are saying that these orders are an option, that custodial sentences are a possibility and that we can and will serve them if the need arises."

The orders were introduced under the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act and are most commonly used by councils to deal with disruptive tenants.

Anti-social behaviour orders can be sought by the local authority or police when anyone aged ten or over.

An order lasts for a minimum of two years but can be discharged sooner with the consent of those involved.

Penalties for breaching an order range from a fine of up to £5,000, to a prison sentence of up to six months imposed by a magistrates' court.

More serious breaches are punishable in a crown court by an unlimited fine or up to five years imprisonment.

Teenager put under curfew p3