A teenage gang has disbanded since a police team was set up to tackle their thuggish and antisocial behaviour.

Police launched a task force in April this year to put a stop to the youngsters whose victims included foreign students and members of the gay community.

The yobs, who were exposed by The Argus in April, called themselves the Yung Ofenderz and bragged about their sickening attacks on internet sites Bebo and My Space.

They even posted footage of themselves carrying out so-called "happy slap" attacks on the website.

The ringleaders of the group were thought to have been responsible for a third of all violent crime in central Brighton.

Since the team was set up, a page on Bebo bragging of their activities has been shut down and police have made 38 arrests of youngsters for crimes including drug offences, burglary, attempted robbery and grievous bodily harm.

One of the ringleaders, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was recently sent to a young offenders institution for 12 months for assault and robbery.

The 17-year-old had approached three men in Upper Lewes Road in the city centre in March and punched one of them round the head and face before demanding cash.

Officers in the team have also made 580 "stops" - taking down the details of young suspects for police intelligence reports.

The city's troublemakers have in the past been predominantly male but recently a group of four girls aged 15, 16, 17 and 19 were hunted down by officers after the teenagers began running up to random members of the public and slapping and punching them.

Police dealing with the gang have described them as having a "happy slap" mentality but there is no evidence to suggest they have filmed any of the attacks.

All four of the teenagers have been arrested for offences including assault, attacking a police officer and theft.

Officers have been targeting key areas where the youngsters gathered including Churchill Square, St James Street, the Palace Pier and on the seafront near the West Pier.

Since then there has been a significant fall in the number of hate crimes and attacks on foreign students, although team leader Sergeant Donna Gibson said this could be down to a number of factors including by victims failing to report crimes.

Hate crime in the city fell more than 50 per cent last year, down from 35 offences between June 2005 and May 2006 to 14 offences in the same period a year later.

In July there were seven hate crimes committed - less than half the 15 recorded in July last year.

Sgt Gibson said: "We've had good results which gets the message across that we are dealing with youths but there are still issues.

"Many of the arrests have been breach of bail and breach of Asbos. Officers have been visiting homes to make sure these youngsters are obeying bail and Asbo conditions.

"There's been a massive disruption to the "pack animal" behaviour.

"We want the public to come to us if they have been a victim of any of these crimes."

Anyone with information should contact Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Have you got a problem with teenage yobs in your area? Do you think more should be done to stop young hooligans bragging about their crimes on the Internet? Leave your comments below.