A TEENAGER who runs along roofs of terraced house ‘laughing’ has been given a two-year ASBO.

Paul Freeman, 16, from Edleston Street, Accrington, is now banned from climbing on the roof or wall of any private dwelling or entering a garden or yard in Hyndburn without the owner’s permission.

Police said his catalogue of anti-social behaviour had been ‘steadily increasing’ over the last year to the point where he is ‘intimidating and threatening’ elderly residents in the Springhill area.

Freeman has also been kicking footballs at houses, climbing into people’s gardens, abuse and swearing.

Accrington Community Beat Manager PC Leonna Hopkinson said: “We had received numerous complaints from local residents about Freeman’s behaviour.

“He climbs up on to a house roof for a joke and then runs up and down rows of terraces laughing.

“He climbs on to garden walls and sits there staring out elderly residents. When they ask him to move he swears and threatens them.”

Freeman is now banned from entering a defined area within Springhill and acting in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person in Hyndburn.

The order, made by Hyndburn magistrates this week, also prevents him from inciting others to act in an anti-social behaviour as police say he is the eldest of his group and hangs around with younger children.

PC Hopkinson added: “This should reassure residents that we do act on their concerns and should send a strong message to those who commit anti-social behaviour that it will not be tolerated.

“We are committed to working with residents to address anti-social behaviour and I would like to thank the local community for helping us to secure this order.”