GET OUT, AND DON'T COME BACK!

TWO teenagers were told they had just 12 hours to permanently leave Devon for infiltrating the county's drug scene over a two- year period.

Jonathan Burns, 19, and Anthony Busutill, 18, both from Manchester, were given anti-social behaviour orders prohibiting them from entering Devon, at a court hearing in Exeter.

The ban is one of the first of its kind in Devon and the pair are the first to be banned from setting foot in the county.

The Asbo, applied for by Devon & Cornwall police, will last for a minimum of two years, after which they can apply to have it removed.

One of the conditions of the order was that Burns and Busutill leave the county within 12 hours or face breach proceedings.

For almost two years, the pair travelled from their home in Manchester to deal drugs, believed to be Class A and including heroin and crack cocaine, in Exeter.

They were aged just 16 and 17 when they first descended on the city around two years ago.

Staying in B&Bs and guest houses across the city, the pair cast their drugs net wide, reaching as far as North Devon.

Police have suggested they used youngsters, some below the age of 16, to peddle drugs for them.

Officers claim that at one point they were responsible for the majority of the city's heroin and crack cocaine supply.

PC Simon Thomson, who was involved in the investigation, told the Echo: “In June 2006, police became aware of Burns and Busutill, who were supplying drugs and were using threatening behaviour to take hold of the drugs scene in Exeter.

“They were supplying the majority of the heroin and crack cocaine within the city at that time.

“They were using vulnerable young people to sell drugs for them.

“They also went to Barnstaple and were active there last summer, which is why we applied for the Devon-wide ban.”

Criminal charges were brought against the pair for drug offences in the city but police say the most effective way of removing them from the area was to apply for a countywide ban.

Police say they used intelligence gathered over a two-year period to finally smash the pair's drugs ring by removing them from Devon.

During the court hearing at Exeter Magistrates' Court, prosecutor Gareth Evans said: “The basis of the application is that they are coming here to sell drugs and were involved with a large number of deals in Exeter.

“The application for the Asbo is to prevent that happening.

“They have 12 hours to leave the county and are prohibited from entering, visiting or residing within the county.”

Defending, David Osborne, told the magistrates: “The defendants make no admissions as to the facts relied upon by the chief constable.

“But I accept on their behalf that there is sufficient evidence in the papers before the court to allow you to proceed with the making of the Asbo.”

PC Thomson became aware of the pair himself in his role as neighbourhood beat manager for Beacon Heath.

He said that in March last year, Burns and Busutill set themselves up in a house in the area, from which they operated their drug-dealing business.

The successful application for an Asbo of this nature is a huge success for the force, which says it will use all the powers available to prevent people from dealing drugs in the county.

“This is a great success for Devon & Cornwall police and for the city as well,” said PC Thomson.

“It sends out a message that the police will deal with people coming to the city to deal drugs.

“We will use all the powers, including civil powers such as Asbos, to stop this happening.

“The result can be a ban from Devon.”