THE Oxford Mail does not seek to demonise Sandeep Kumar, whose picture we published today.

Court rulings and Government guidance is that the public should know what people with Asbos look like so they can help the police by reporting if there are any breaches.

Sandeep Kumar is only 14 and does need help.

However, the courts have decided his behaviour is so destructive to his neighbours and the wider community that he should also be subject to an Asbo to try to keep him in line.

That means the police must know if he breaks its conditions. They cannot do that without the help of the public, but if the public does not know what Kumar looks like then how can that happen?

Finally, magistrates agreed, only for Judge Julian Hall to make an order with no legal foundation stopping publication and without hearing the case from this newspaper.

He only agreed he was wrong after a hearing on Thursday and even then was encouraging the defence to go to the Queen’s Bench Divisional Court for what would have been a hearing that would have cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds.

Our victory this week was an important one that had to be won because ultimately our communities need to be defended properly against those causing so much harm.