A TEENAGER is to challenge a court's decision to impose an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) on her by claiming it is a breach of her human rights.

Solicitors acting on behalf of Kimberley Ann Moralee have filed an appeal against the order, granted last month at Sedgefield Magistrates Court, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

The 13-year-old, of Proudfoot Drive, Woodhouse Close, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, appeared before the court after police presented magistrates with a 190-page dossier detailing her behaviour during a six-month period.

It told how she terrorised neighbours on the Woodhouse Close estate with abuse.

She also plagued police in the town by making abusive and threatening phone calls, and false 999 calls.

But John Turner, of Hewitts solicitors in Bishop Auckland, is appealing on her behalf saying the terms of the order are disproportionate and unlawful by virtue of article eight of the European Convention of Human Rights.

Moralee is prevented from trespassing on land of any private home; damaging, taking or interfering with the property of others, except with their permission; assaulting, harassing, intimidating, threatening or abusing any person, or inciting or encouraging others to commit any act prohibited by the order.

She is also excluded from the vicinity of Bishop Auckland police station, except when either under arrest or having been invited there by the police. She is also prohibited from making abusive or obscene telephone calls.

The order, which also imposes a curfew from 10.30pm until 6am, was made for two years and two months, from March 24.

It is not the first time that an appeal has been made against the granting of an Asbo on human rights grounds.

Three teenage brothers from Manchester had their appeal quashed by the House of Lords in December, but are now considering taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

Lawyers say if this is successful then it could open the way for hundreds more legal challenges.

Durham Constabulary confirmed Moralee was appealing against the order. They said should the appeal be successful it was unlikely to have an effect on the way Asbos were treated in the future. They declined to comment further.