A YOUTH charged with violent conduct has become the first juvenile in Malmesbury to have an electronic tag fitted.

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was involved in an incident with a ball bearing gun on the High Street and an alleged assault in the town centre within 24-hours of each other.

Police responded to reports there were a group of youths brandishing a gun on the High Street on November 25 at around 5.30pm outside the Co-op.

The weapon turned out to be a ball bearing gun and was held by a group of three youths who were holding another youth over the bonnet of a car after an argument.

The three youths, who were drunk, were arrested at the scene.

But within hours of their release on police bail the next day the same group was allegedly involved in an assault on an unnamed man in the town centre.

The youths were again taken into custody and a court decided to fit the device, which can monitor whether the offender is at home or not and report if they are breaking imposed curfews, on one of the alleged attackers while they await trial.

Malmesbury sergeant Gavin Williams said: "One of the youths was tagged as a result of these incidents. There have been no reported problems since that date.

"The small minority have been positively dealt with and will continue to be positively dealt with.

Sgt Williams said tags are normally fitted to convicted criminals released early from prison.

But electronically tagging youths while they await trial is a strategy introduced by the home secretary David Blunkett at the end of last year in a bid to tackle 'untouchable' young criminals.

The tags, which look like a watch, can be placed on the wrist or ankle.

The tag is linked to a monitoring machine installed at the youth's home address, which is connected 24-hours-a-day to a monitoring station via a telephone line.

Staff at the station can tell if the youth is breaking curfew orders.

Sgt Williams said: "It is the first time, I think, it has been put on a youth in Malmesbury. Certainly we welcome that sort of thing. We have got to look at what the behaviour is of the minority and how that affects the majority."

A spate of vandalism and antisocial behaviour caused alarm in the town throughout the summer.

The abbey decided to close the gates to the Tolsey path on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights on the request of the police in May.

But the measure did not stop youths smashing up a memorial to unborn babies in the memorial gardens at the abbey in August.

Other incidents include the destruction of the pergola at the cloister gardens behind the abbey, causing £1,000 of damage, and an assault on a 26-year-old man who confronted rowdy youths outside his home on Backhill in June.

The police say they have had a good response to a scheme for reporting antisocial behaviour since orders were introduced in October.

Forms are available at the town hall, library and Malmesbury police station, which allow the public to report antisocial behaviour anonymously to the police.

An alcohol ban in the town centre could come into force by the end of February after the town council gave its consent to the scheme last month.

Sgt Williams said a small minority caused the problems.

He said: "The perception of the public is that all youths are to blame.

"We have got to be very careful with that. The vast majority of youths are very good. It is a small amount of youths that cause the problems."