DRUNKEN yobs causing problems in Billericaywill be banned from all the town’s pubs.

Fifteen Billericay bars and pubs have launched a Behave or be Banned pub watch scheme.

It comes after thug Wayne Earl, 30, was handed an antisocial behaviour order last month after a campaign of terror against publicans, punters and police officers.

The scheme is run by a voluntary group of landlords, supported by Essex Police and Basildon Council.

David Ripo, landlord of the Crown, in High Street and chairman of the group, said: “This is a good thing for landlords. It gives us support against those who are not out for a good night or a quiet drink, but to cause trouble.

“Being able to bar people from not just one pub, but every pub in town, will hopefully stop the wrong type of people coming here.”

Bars will operate regular nightly “ring arounds” to communicate with each other about drinkers misbehaving. Monthly meetings with include updates about yobs added to the hit-list.

Roger Lowe, Essex Police licensing officer, based in Basildon, said: “We hope it will make troublemakers realise they have to behave. If we arrest someone for causing trouble at licensed premises, and they are charged or cautioned, we will feed that information back to the chairman of the Behave or be Banned committee.

“They can make a decision, are we going to ban this person and how long for?”

Insp Mark Rayner, from Billericay police station, said: “People who are barred under the scheme are generally of interest to us anyway.

“Billericay is generally a nice, safe area to enjoy an evening out, but there are those who push the boundaries.

“We have targeted patrols in the High Street on weekend evenings. Thankfully, it is a small minority who cause trouble.”