MAGISTRATES are to be asked to put the brakes on kerb crawlers plaguing a town - by confiscating their cars.

In a ground-breaking move, Crown Prosecution Service lawyers have given Cleveland Police the go-ahead to apply for court orders that will see cars confiscated from red light areas.

Under the Powers of Criminal Courts Act 2000, property or objects "used for the purpose of facilitating the commissioning of an offence" can be confiscated.

"We feel it applies to this offence," said Inspector Gary Gamesby. "The car is the conduit they use to come here. If you take that away, you eliminate the offence of kerb crawling.

"It is ground-breaking and it is a bold step to take, but we are pursuing this course of action with the backing of the Crown Prosecution Service."

He said: "The poor residents of Middlesbrough have to put up with the prostitution, they have no choice, but the kerb crawlers have all the choice in the world.

"And if I can put forward a strong argument to the magistrates, I'd like to think we will get the decisions we want."

Police plans to have kerb crawlers' cars confiscated were exclusively revealed in The Northern Echo in November 2000.

High profile patrols and name-and-shame campaigns have all seen a reduction in the number of men travelling to Middlesbrough to pay for sex. A total of 541 men have been prosecuted since 1999.

Nevertheless, 70 per cent of those being caught with prostitutes come from outside Teesside, from areas such as the Scottish Borders, London and Manchester.

Inspector Gamesby said: "I have asked my officers to look out for persistent kerb crawlers and for any case with aggravating features.

"By that, I mean the time of day and if there are approaches to innocent women or children. Using that combination we could go for first-time offenders."