A teenager has been banned from part of Bradford after carrying out a two-year campaign of harassment and intimidation which “strangled” the life out of the community.

Roman Arlauskas, 18, verbally abused residents, intimidated business owners and their customers, harassed library staff and users and committed theft offences in the Manningham area.

Arlauskas, of Basil Street, Canterbury, Bradford, was made the subject of a two-year Anti-social Behaviour Order (ASBO) when he appeared before Bradford Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

He is prohibited, in the Bradford district, from acting, or inciting others to act, in an anti-social manner, including being abusive, swearing and making threats of violence, and from having contact in public with his associates Abdullah Chunara, Sohaib Mahmood, Arsian Mahmood and Dhaniel Mahmood, all aged 16. He is also banned from entering parts of Manningham.

Prosecutor Harjit Ryatt said Arlauskas’ frequent anti-social behaviour had had a big impact on the lives of ordinary citizens in Bradford.

He told the magistrates Arlauskas and his associates had repeatedly harassed the owner of Carlisle Trading in Carlisle Road and Arlauskas had threatened to burn down the shop.

He said the group would congregate outside the shop, making it difficult for people to go in and out, and would also go inside and abuse staff and customers, despite being banned from the premises.

The court heard Arlauskas had also frequently behaved in an anti-social manner at Manningham Library and at the nearby children’s play park.

On one occasion in November, he stood outside the library with a large Japanese Akita dog, which he was controlling with a stick through its collar, stopping people from entering and leaving the building.

During the same month, police were called to Lansdowne House in Trenton Drive because Arlauskas and his associates were in the communal area of the building causing distress to residents.

In January, Arlauskas took a Stafforshire bull dog in to People Private Taxis in Carlisle Road and encouraged it to bite and damage sofas. Just weeks later he stepped out in front of a car, being driven in Manningham Lane by a teacher he recognised from Challenge College, causing his vehicle to stop.

Mr Ryatt also listed further incidents of criminal and anti-social behaviour including stealing lead from houses in Lister View, damaging a taxi in Carlisle Road, abusing staff at William Hill bookmakers and stealing a mobile phone.

He said Arlauskas had been made the subject of an interim ASBO in May and there had been no offending since it had been imposed.

The defence accepted Arlauskas had acted in an anti-social way but argued his behaviour had improved.

Victoria Malloy, defending, said Arlauskas had already completed 173 hours of unpaid work and was attending intensive supervision sessions. She said he was making good progress.

Magistrates noted Arlauskas’ improved behaviour but they felt the ASBO was necessary to protect the public.

  • Read the full story Thursday’s T&A