A NORTH-East judge yesterday lamented the level of drunken violence on the streets, as the Government unveiled a crackdown on alcohol- related crime and under-age drinking.

Judge David Bryant ordered Adam Blakelock, 21, to wear a tag on his leg or wrist in order to keep him off the streets at night for five months.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Blakelock and a friend, Shaun Henry, 22, attacked 19-year-old Stephen Clarke in the street in Seaham, County Durham, leaving him with a serious eye injury, caused by kicks and punches.

The judge told Blakelock: "There is far too much of this yobbish violence by drunken louts on the streets of this country.

"The only reason you are not going to prison today is that you are a person of good character, and it is fair to assume on this occasion that you were behaving in a way that was out of character.

"If you behave in this way again you will be brought back here and you will be locked up. But it is desirable that persons of your sort should not be on the streets at all."

Blakelock, of Wearmouth Drive, Seaham, who admitted causing an affray on June 19, last year, in Princess Road, Seaham, was also ordered to do 120 hours community service.

Henry, of Daphne Crescent, Seaham, who pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm will be sentenced next week. He was bailed with the same 8pm to 6am curfew without tagging.

The action plan unveiled by the Government includes consideration of fixed penalty fines, giving police the power to confiscate alcohol from people drinking in public, and more support for ID schemes for youngsters.

Home Office Minister Charles Clarke said the initiative would help tackle yob culture.

However, the plans met with a lukewarm response from police and local authorities in the region, who said they were already tackling the problem on several fronts.

Durham and Cleveland Police both said that schemes involving using youngsters to buy alcohol from off-licences and supermarkets had been successful, resulting in several licence revocations.

John Trebble, chief executive of Scarborough Borough Council, said: "We have in place, and have had for some years now, a ban on drinking alcohol in the town centre and other designated areas. It has proved a very successful policy, which has served Scarborough well.