TWO men who committed most of their crimes at night have been given Anti-Social Behaviour Orders banning them from going out in the early hours.

Joseph Farrelly Phillips, 37, and Jason McCourt, 35, were made subject to the order after police said they were concerned about "ever increasing criminal activity, predominately car crime."

But Burnley magistrates were also told the pair had been intimidating residents in Colne, particularly those who are older or vulnerable.

Phillips, who has almost 200 previous convictions, and McCourt face up to five years in jail if they flout the orders.

Phillips, most recently of Glenroy Avenue, was yesterday given a civil ASBO.

McCourt, also from the town, and like Phillips has been in and out of jail, received his ASBO at an earlier hearing.

Magistrates who imposed the two-year order on Phillips were told by police how residents were intimidated by him when they saw him around their homes at night.

Under the ASBO, he is prohibited from acting in a manner likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress by entering within the boundary of any residential premises, without the occupant's permission, in the Colne area.

He is prohibited from being in a public place between 11.30pm and 6.30am, except in the case of an emergency, in the Colne area.

Phillips is also banned from entering Birtwistle estate.

McCourt is banned from touching or entering any vehicle without the owner's permission in Colne until November 13 2009 and is not allowed in a public place in the area between 11pm and 7am until November 30.

After the case, PC Karen Fitzpatrick, anti-social behaviour casework manager with Pendle's multi-agency problem solving team, said: "Phillips is also well-known for intimidating behaviour, often of vulnerable people, who he believes will not stand up to him.

"This shows we can support the most vulnerable victims without them feeling that they are being put at risk.

"We will do everything within their power to curb the activities of offenders within Pendle."