Victims of young offenders are helping to decide what punishments they should receive.

Magistrates in Keighley and Bradford are making 'reparation orders' under new legislation which came into force in June.

In the first three months courts have made 41 orders which are handled by the new multi-agency Youth Offending Team whose brief includes representing the victims of crime.

One example is a 13 years-old trickster who obtained money by deception by falsely pretending he was collecting cash for a sponsored run for Cancer Research.

Part of his punishment at the request of the charity was to deliver leaflets to houses around the area where he offended.

In another case of a 14-year-old boy was given a 12-hour reparation order for causing criminal damage. The victim didn't want direct compensation but agreed to him being involved in a scheme which repairs bicycles for distribution in the community.

Details of how the Bradford and District Youth Offending team are dealing with the laws and government strategy was outlined at Keighley's first ever Crime and Community Safety Network Day, held at the weekend in Keighley College.

Paul O'Hara, the YOT manager told a group how the scheme was designed to confront young offenders with the consequences of what they had done, for themselves and their family, the victims and the community.

He told of a case where a teenage boy had stolen a little girls bicycle. "The girls was terrified who ever did would come back and steal the rest of her toys.

"When he realised how upset she was he was visibly shaken. He made a video apologising and assuring her he wouldn't do it again."

He adds: "We aim to provide sensitive service for victims of crime and ensure the victims views are accurately represented in court."

Dozens more people than expected turned up for the special networking day event aimed at cutting crime in Keighley and surrounding areas.

Almost three-quarters of the 90 who turned up were members of local community groups.

Several innovative crime-fighting projects, many centred on individual neighbourhoods, are expected to grow out of the discussions.

Keighley Area Panel chairman David Emmott head of the organisation that organised the event promises the result will be real changes in the quality of people's lives. "I want it to be more than a talking shop. I'm determined some positive action comes out of the meeting."

Mr Emmott says the Network Day was extremely successful as it brought local people from all cultures face-to-face with those responsible for fighting crime.