ASBOs given to three members of a Blackburn gang have halved the amount of anti-social behaviour in Mill Hill, according to police.

On March 1, Jack Mason and Adam Caddens, both 15, and 17-year-old Sheldon Murchie, were given orders by Blackburn magistrates for amassing more than 500 complaints between them and their ‘Mill Hill Boyz’ gang in a year.

Despite Mason and Caddens appearing in court shortly after for breaches of their ASBOs, reports of anti-social behaviour in Mill Hill have since been drastically reduced.

Figures show that between March 1 and May 1, 2010, there were 37 reports of anti-social behaviour and damage in Mill Hill - a reduction of 44 per cent compared with 67 reports during same period last year.

According to police, Mason had been given an electronic tag for his breach and Caddens warned he faced custody if he was brought before the magistrates again.

South West Neighbourhood Policing Team Sergeant Paul Schofield said that regular policing operations, an increased highly visible presence and a good working relationship with the local authority and members of the public also contributed towards the reductions.

He said: “These lads were definitely responsible for the spike in anti-social behaviour. They were part of a group intent on causing havoc and misery.

“Now we’ve broken up that wider group and we talk to some of the other lads who are happy not to be in trouble.

“I’ve always maintained that as prohibitive as the ASBOs are for them, it is also trying to keep them out of trouble by giving them some boundaries.

“We’ve heard nothing of Sheldon, credit to him. We believe he’s found employment and from his point of view, his quality of life will improve if we’re not knocking on his door every two minutes."

The three Mill Hill Boyz ringleaders had been blamed for 90% of the area’s criminal damage and anti-social behaviour, making the New Chapel Street park a ‘no-go zone’ for families, abusing staff and customers at the local Spar shop, terrorising the Mill Hill library and spraying their gang tags on buildings.