Blitz on young troublemakers (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Blitz on young troublemakers

Ref. 29267-53POLICE are preparing to launch a crackdown on rowdy youths in Stratton, Swindon.

From Monday, officers will have the power to dish out dispersal orders to split up gangs of troublesome teenagers that congregate to cause criminal damage, graffiti and intimidation.

Following a catalogue of complaints from worried residents, shopkeepers and homeowners, detectives have decided to launch their first blitz on a triangle of hotspots in the district.

Anyone deemed to be causing harassment, alarm or distress in an area stretching from the Rat Trap Roundabout at the top of Highworth Road down to Greenbridge Roundabout, across to the A419 and up will be ordered to move on.

Each order runs for six-months, but if youths return within 24-hours and are seen to be causing trouble they can be arrested and taken before the courts. Punishment includes a fine, up to three-months imprisonment or both.

Police hope this new weapon an offshoot of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 will signal an end to months of drink-fuelled harassment and public order offences, which has blighted large parts of the community, specifically in Delamere Drive, Grange Community Centre and shops along Grange Drive, Ermin Street and Rainer Close.

And they are banking on the Stratton example the first in the county to send a firm message out to other troubled parts of Swindon.

Superintendent Richard Rowland said: "This is another weapon against anti-social behaviour.

"People are often intimidated by large groups of youths and their actions including graffiti, abuse, minor thefts and alcohol and drug taking.

"It's not about dispersing youths who are minding their own business.

"At the moment it's difficult to deal with anti-social behaviour we are pretty powerless.

"It's a significant problem a large percentage of our calls are of this nature and intimidation can be a plague to communities. It's not our intention to arrest lots of people hanging around, but we will have the power to tell those who are causing problems to go away."

In a return to old-fashioned policing methods, constables on patrol will be able to frogmarch misbehaving youths back to their parents to demand an explanation for their behaviour.

But the success of the orders is wholly dependent on members of the public reporting instances of anti-social behaviour to the authorities. Swindon Council and the police will keep a log of disturbances before jointly deciding whether to prepare a dispersal order.

This weekend police will display notices on lampposts in and around the triangular zone explaining how the orders work.

Sue Tilley, crime and disorder manager at Swindon Council, said: "The council supports this new legislation in responding to community problems and we will do everything in our power to bring neighbourhoods back to normality."

Anyone wanting to report a disturbance or act of anti-social behaviour should call Swindon Council's anti-social behaviour hotline on 01793 466738 or Swindon police on 01793 528111.

Giles Sheldrick