TWO notorious Skipton pests have been banned from most of the town under an interim anti-social behaviour order.

Elizabeth Reynoldson, 51, and Darren (Das) Hall, 32, had an order granted against them on Wednesday after magistrates were presented a dossier of witness statements and police incidents.

Reynoldson's catalogue of unacceptable behaviour includes examples of her swearing, being abusive and causing a disturbance in Gladstone Street, Skipton, and urinating on the canal towpath.

Hall's antics include fighting, sleeping rough, intimidating staff, drinking and being rowdy.

Neither defendant had any notice of the Court action.

Interim orders can be made at an initial court hearing and are designed to protect the community until a full hearing is heard.

When the Herald went to press, the order had been served on Hall, but the police were still looking for Reynoldson.

The order bans the pair from entering all of Skipton apart from the Raikes, Burnside, Regents, Shortbank and a section of Horse Close. They are banned from the whole of the town centre, apart from Otley Street when they are required at court.

The exclusion zone was drawn up taking into account past incidents involving Reynoldson and Hall and areas not included are where no complaints were recorded.

The order also says they must not:

o associate with each other or with Daniel Greenwood, Malcolm Abbott and Jonathan Howsen in any public place or place to which the public has access;

o act in a manner which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress or to incite others to do so;

o possess alcohol in an opened container, can or bottle and/or any Drugs or substances prescribed by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 in a public place;

o enter any shop or commercial premises from which he/she has been banned.

Reynoldson and Hall, both of no fixed abode, must return to Skipton Court on September 7 for the full hearing.

The pair are already the subject of an injunction barring them from the Greatwood estate because of their anti-social and unacceptable antics in the area.

The Herald understands Reynoldson was arrested for breaching this injunction in July and spent a short time in custody while waiting for her case to be heard. This was deemed sufficient punishment.

Craven District Council applied for the interim orders - the first "stand alone" ASBOs to be granted in the district. Craven's other orders were imposed following a criminal conviction.

Local anti-social behaviour co-ordinator Stacey Mitchell told the Herald: "These two people have been allowed to cause harassment in the Skipton area for too long."

She explained that getting the interim ASBOs had involved a lot of effort by partner agencies, with the help of residents.

But she said: "It's time the residents are able to go back out and enjoy the quality of life that they deserve."

Sgt Cris Pappin from Skipton Police said: "It's unfortunate that it has come to this but with the number of incidents and problems they have been causing it has been inevitable and they have brought it on themselves."