THREE Newport thugs were yesterday split up and banned from the communities they terrorised.

Leon Kent, 16, Gavin Mills, 17, and Ryan Ahern, 16, had anti-social behaviour orders imposed on them by Cwmbran magistrates for causing months of misery to people living in the Broadmead and Moorland Park estates.

An interim anti-social behaviour order was imposed on the three in October, which was yesterday made official by magistrates.

Magistrates agreed the trio's names should be published, after an appeal by the Argus, but refused to allow publication of their photographs, saying it would only increase the gang's notoriety.

Although police said reports of disturbances had dropped since the interim order was imposed, Ahern was sentenced to four months' youth detention in December for breaching the order.

Neither of the youth's solicitors, Mark Hughes or Gareth Driscoll, challenged the imposition of the order.

Oliver Willmott, the appellant on behalf of Newport council, said: "All three respondents have behaved in a way that the community cannot tolerate."

Chairman of the magistrates bench Graham Hayes said: "We are absolutely appalled by your behaviour. We have considered all the evidence and decided that you are guilty of anti-social behaviour. Either you obey the order to the letter or you risk going to prison for a very long time."

Police revealed that the youths' behaviour included: Persistently abusing residents Throwing stones Setting fires Threatening and intimidating neighbours.

"We are thrilled," said PC Sally Jackson, of Maindee police, after the case. "We were getting three or four reports a night about their behaviour. People were genuinely scared to go out of their houses."

The two-year order bans all three youths from associating with each other, throwing stones, letting off fireworks and causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person living, working or visiting Newport.

Ryan Ahern is banned from Broadmead Park, Gavin Mills is banned from Broadmead Park and Moorland Park. No restriction was made on Leon Kent. A spokesman for Newport council, who brought the ASBOs, said: "The council is determined to ensure that the citizens of Newport live without fear of harassment of any sort."