AN 11-YEAR-OLD boy has been banned from carrying items that could cause a fire after he deliberately set alight to a car and burgled a coffee shop.

The boy from Basildon, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted carrying out the arson attack in Laindon on June 11.

At a hearing at Basildon Youth Court last week, the boy also admitted raiding Costa Coffee in Basildon town centre on June 4.

The court heard that nothing was stolen from inside the coffee shop but damage was caused to the building.

Magistrates ordered the boy to take part in an eight-month referral order with the youth offending team and ordered him to comply with a criminal behaviour order (CBO), which will last for 12 months.

Officers from Basildon’s community policing team applied for the CBO because of the “ongoing antisocial behaviour within the community”.

The CBO has stringent conditions which means that he is banned from entering Great Oxcroft and Great Oxcroft Court in Laindon.

He must also abide by a daily 7pm to 7am curfew and not to associate with seven named individuals.

He must also not be in a group of more than two people unless for educational purposes or if he is accompanied by a family member, and must not carry any items that could cause a fire.

PC Chris Burch, Basildon’s children and young persons officer, said: “A criminal behaviour order takes a strong stance against young people who disrupt the lives of others, their neighbours and the community around them.

“It puts clear boundaries in place to prevent him from causing much disruption and to prevent him from reoffending.

“It also prevents him from being around people who could be a bad influence.

“There has been a spate of antisocial behaviour incidents concerning this boy, generally nuisance activity in the local area and the potential for criminal activity.

“For someone that young for us to consider that shows the level of concern that we had for him.”

The is the second CBO given to a youth by police in Basildon after a 16-year-old was banned from Wickford in March after he threw a chair at takeaway staff.

Failure to comply with a CBO is a criminal offence and as such can result in imprisonment and a fine.