A YOUTH, described by police as a one-man crimewave, has been banned from wearing baseball caps.

Convicted thief Christopher James Wood has been banned from wearing baseball caps, woollen hats and hooded tops "for the purposes of concealing his identity or for intimidation".

An interim anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) against Wood was set to expire at midnight last night but District Judge Roger Elsey yesterday agreed to a three- month extension.

Sitting at Teesside Magistrates' Court, Judge Elsey warned 21-year-old Wood that the penalty of not complying with the order would be prison.

The initial interim order was made against Wood on September 3, the same day he left prison after serving a sentence. The application for the order was made jointly by Cleveland Police and Stockton Borough Council.

Part of that initial order forbade him from riding a bicycle, but that was withdrawn after Chris Marley, his solicitor, said Wood relied on public transport or a bicycle to get around.

Part of the Abso banning him from entering any car park in England or Wales was also refined to barring Wood, of Outram Street, Middlesbrough, from entering any car park in the Cleveland Police area except - in the case of his doctor's surgery - for a prior arranged appointment.

He is forbidden from touching any car in the Cleveland Police area without the owner's permission and from carrying a screwdriver, hammer, knives or metal bars which could be used in any theft.

He is also barred from entering Commercial Street and the Council of Europe Boulevard, Stockton, or the commercial area of town known as The Dairy.

Wood confirmed in court that he would challenge an application to make him the subject of a full, longer-term, anti-social behaviour order. That hearing will be held on December 13.