Two teenage brothers have been given anti-social behaviour orders for their part in an aggressive car- minding scheme outside Aston Villa football ground.

Amasiah Thompson (15) and Tabijah (14) appeared at Birmingham Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with causing harassment, alarm or distress to fans by demanding money to watch their cars.

District Judge Miles McColl said the brothers had "gone out of their way to make the lives of the complainants miserable" by acting in an intimidating and threatening manner.

The court heard that they demanded money in an aggressive way which led the vehicle owners to believe their cars might be damaged if they failed to pay.

The brothers were served with a two-year Asbo which, among other conditions, bans them from being in certain areas of Aston on particular match days. They had previously been served with an interim Asbo until the case started.

Amasiah told the court he minded cars on Beales Street in Aston on match days where he claimed he would get paid £1 after matches finished. He admitted he did not know how many cars he would be paid to watch but said he always worked for regular customers.

Amasiah denied being threatening towards his customers. "There are different regulars - people who have been going there (to Villa Park) for seven or eight years - people who know me," he said.

Tabijah said there was less car vandalism in the area now than there had been.

Simon Strelitz, acting on behalf of Birmingham City Council, told the court there were gangs of youths who could be identified by their hooded tops and baseball caps causing residents concern in the Aston area.

One householder, known only as Resident A, told police they had been threatened with a knife by other carminders in the area .

Errol Robinson, defending, said most of the evidence was hearsay.

He said: "It defies common sense that a polite request to look after a motor vehicle during a football match is itself anti-social. It's a practice that has been going on for decades." Mr Robinson moved for a suspension of the Asbo while an appeal was filed, but Judge McColl dismissed the defence motion.

Gary Ladbrooke, Aston district housing manager for the city council, said afterwards: "The Asbos send a strong message that antisocial behaviour of this nature is not acceptable in Birmingham and will be acted upon."