A ‘PROLIFIC offender’ who evades police by climbing on to the top of his house has been banned from every rooftop in Hyndburn.

Adam Paul Corbett has been given an interim anti-social behaviour order after police got fed-up of his 10-hour rooftop vigils.

Officers said whenever they visit his house, 22-year-old Corbett climbs out of his first floor window and onto his roof to avoid them.

Police have been left with “huge” bills because of his behaviour and have even had to call out the force helicopter.

Hyndburn Inspector Dave Mangan said the police also had a ‘duty of care’ to the recently released prisoner when he puts his life at risk.

Under the order, which Corbett did not oppose at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court, he is also prohibited from riding any motorbike, mini-moto or scooter, driving any car, any anti-social behaviour or being drunk in a public place.

Banned motorist Corbett, of Harwood Road, Rishton, who has only just been released from an 130-day prison sentence for car offences including aggravated vehicle taking, must also stick to a 10pm-7am curfew.

Chris Kehoe, prosecuting, said the order was being sought because of a long history of anti-social behaviour, vehicle theft and threatening behaviour.

Inspector Mangan said Corbett’s actions were ‘resource and time-intensive’ for police to manage.

“He is a prolific offender who commits a lot of crime and has done so for several years.

“Whenever we knock on his door, he immediately climbs out of a first floor window and on to the roof before we’re even up the stairs.

“We have to have an officer at the front and the back and negotiate him down. If he falls and hurts himself, we could be liable.”

Corbett has used this ploy to try and escape justice many times before, and police said the number of incidents was in ‘double figures’.

He is also racking up a huge bill each time and has spent up to 10 hours on the roof of his house on some occasions.

Insp Mangan said: “It can be very expensive if we have to seal off roads or get the helicopter out to film the incident.

“He knows sometimes we will wait around and sometimes we don’t have the resources and have to make an assessment and withdraw.

“We have to weigh it up based on the seriousness of the offence we want to talk to him about and competing demands.

“It has not been an offence for him to climb on to a roof, but now this ASBO makes it a breach of his conditions.

“If we call to do a bail check for example, he has to make a judgement if it’s worth his while breaching his ASBO and creating an offence.

“We are hoping that this will curb his offending behaviour and very real public nuisance. The idea is to break his cycle and use the ASBO to get him to consider his actions more than before.

“He’s putting his own life at risk and we have to be concerned when negotiating with him.

“Whether we like it or not, we do have a duty of care for his safety, that’s the society we live in.

“It’s a worry for us if he falls, questions will be asked of us and our tactics. Did we force him down or put him into a more dangerous position than he put himself?”.

Police will seek a full ASBO in June.