YOBS who break the law on the streets after drinking sessions could have pub doors shut in their face for the first time.

York MP Hugh Bayley discovered last year that magistrates cannot exclude offenders from bars, pubs and clubs if they break the law outside licensed premises.

He found that they can only make exclusion orders against those involved in booze-fuelled violence, disorder or vandalism if the crime occurred inside a pub.

Mr Bayley wrote to Home Office Minister Hazel Blears to ask her to consider changing the law to close the "loophole". Now Home Secretary Charles Clarke has said the Violent Crime Reduction Bill, which should come into force next year, will give magistrates the extra powers.

Mr Bayley said the issue was drawn to his attention by York licensing officer PC Dave Boag during a meeting of the York Alcohol Advisory Service.

He said: "It came as a surprise to me that if you are drunk and arrested in a pub you can be banned from licensed premises, but if you then get into a fight on the street you can't.

"This will increase the options and powers available to magistrates to help them control alcohol-related problems both in York and across England and Wales."

PC Boag, of York Police, said: "This is good news. It's a feather in the cap for North Yorkshire Police and I'm glad Ministers have acted on our comments."

Fellow licensing officer PC Mike Welsh said: "We would welcome anything that helps us reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder.

"It is a deterrent and it shows that the courts are supporting the licensee. It shows that we are all on the same side."

Speaking in Parliament, the Home Secretary Charles Clarke said: "The drinking banning order is necessary precisely for the reason that he (Mr Bayley) implies.

"It is important to deal with disorder within the premises, but it is also important to have powers to deal with disorder outside premises in areas in which a large number of premises are grouped together."

The Violent Crime Reduction Bill began its passage through Parliament earlier this month. Mr Bayley said it could take up to a year to become law. Magistrates and judges can make exclusion orders under Section 20 of the Offences Against The Persons Act.

Updated: 10:31 Friday, June 24, 2005