A VIOLENT teenage thief was arrested by police less than 24 hours after he was made subject to a hard hitting order intended to curb his criminal behaviour and protect the public.

Lee McGreavy, aged 19, of Mancroft Avenue, Great Lever, reappeared before Bolton magistrates on Saturday accused of breaching an anti-social behaviour order.

McGreavy was banned from entering the Paulhan Street estate and from driving vehicles for five years during a Bolton Magistrates Court hearing on Thursday.

He was brought back before the court at the weekend when his solicitor, Isobel Grey, told magistrates that McGreavy had breached a "minor" condition of his order.

Magistrates had imposed the order after being told that that McGreavy had terrorised residents on the Paulhan Street estate for more than two and a half years.

McGreavy was banned from entering the estate and from driving vehicles for five years.

Since 1999, he has stolen 15 cars, committed 11 car crimes including dangerous driving and arson, kicked a woman, vandalised property and abused Asian residents.

Magistrates imposed an Anti Social Behaviour Order which included a condition banning him from "gathering with four or more people in a public place."

But McGreavy was arrested at 3.15pm the following day.

William Donnelly, prosecuting, said he was spotted with five youths standing outside a Bolton Council housing office in Holmeswood Road.

Two employees saw him from a window and called the police. He was arrested on suspicion of breaking the terms of the order by meeting the five other youths, the court was told.

Mr Donnelly said: "Once it gets to four or more, the Crown say it is a breach of that order. The Crown say that within 24 hours of the order McGreavy, when the terms of the order must have been ringing in his ears, breached it."

McGreavy was allowed bail and will appear before the court again on Friday.