A MAN banned from seeing his bride-to-be under a controversial anti-social-behaviour order was today behind bars for breaching the order.

And his distraught partner today claimed that William Parker had been "locked up for love".

"He refused to let them tear us apart," said Janet Dugdale after the magistrates refused to grant bail to the man she plans to marry.

"We want to be together and I don't see what business it is of anybody else. This order should never

have been made and William will never obey it."

Blackburn magistrates agreed to an interim anti-social- behaviour order requested by the police on November 8. Under its terms, Mr Parker, 47, of Temple Drive, Blackburn, is banned from contact with Miss Dugdale or going within 50 metres of her home.

He was arrested three times for alleged breaches since it was made and was remanded in custody. Refusing bail the magistrates said they thought Parker would commit further breaches - and Parker said defiantly: "Yes, I will."

Neil White, prosecuting, said he was not going to try and justify the order, which had been made in the defendant's absence. "Whatever the rights or wrongs, the defendant has breached an order of the court on three occasions," he said.

Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said the order against Parker brought into disrepute the entire ASBO system. "The police have intervened in the lives of my client and Miss Dugdale," he said.

"It is accepted their relationship has not been without problems but that is not uncommon. What is uncommon is the police have sought this order to stop them seeing each other. I say that order should never have been made."

He said Miss Dugdale was in court with the sole purpose of supporting her partner. "You have got two people who want to be together. It is an unlawful order."