A teenage joyrider has become the first person in Brighton and Hove to be jailed for breaching an Antisocial Behaviour Order.

Lee Domagala, 19, a leading member of a car crime gang, was sentenced to four months by city magistrates.

Domagala, jobless and staying with family in Hollingdean, Brighton, pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of the order by breaking a night curfew imposed in May.

He turned up late for the hearing and left during the proceedings.

The application went ahead without him.

Police told how Domagala had been a leading member of a gang which stole cars, went joyriding, crashed the vehicles and then set them alight.

Many victims were too frightened to report crimes for fear of reprisals.

Domagala has 28 previous convictions, including stealing from cars, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and without insurance, taking a vehicle without consent and being carried in a vehicle taken without consent.

He had been classified by police as a persistent young offender and was released from a young offenders' institution only a week before the order was imposed.

A record of 28 reported incidents involving Domagala dating from July last year was handed to the magistrates by PC Lorna Dennison.

She said: "He is a prolific car criminal who has complete disregard for authority and other people's property.

"His behaviour poses a considerable risk to public safety and is blighting the lives of those who have had property stolen or damaged."

Magistrates imposed the Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO) for two years. Conditions included banning him from any public place between 10pm and 6am for six months.

There are now 25 people in the city and many more throughout the county with ASBOs. Police said the sentence would be a warning to any thinking of flouting the orders.

Detective Sergeant Roger Fry said: "The whole community is behind the move to outlaw antisocial behaviour."