Staggering rise in drink arrests (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Staggering rise in drink arrests

A young woman is overcome by alcohol on the street as other revellers pass her byTHE number of Wiltshire teenagers being prosecuted for being drunk and disorderly soared by 50 per cent in only one year the largest increase in the country.

New figures revealed that an average of eight teenagers every week ran into trouble with the police after booze binges.

Swindon police say they are working to tackle underage drinking.

And a local youth charity says it is surprised by the number of young people turning to drink.

The worrying statistics, published by the Home Office, highlight the number of drunken 10 to 17-year-olds appearing before the region's courts.

A total of 426 teenagers were prosecuted for being drunk and disorderly in 2003 the latest year for which figures are available compared with 284 in 2002. Neighbouring areas saw smaller increases in the number of court cases five per cent in Avon and Somerset and 11 per cent in Thames Valley and 12 per cent in Gloucestershire.

The figures will add fuel to criticism of the Government's plans to relax the licensing laws, including allowing pubs, supermarkets and off licences to sell alcohol 24 hours a day.

Craig Hiscock, 32, a project worker the Swindon Ten-Eighteen Project (STEP), which offers youngsters advice on alcohol awareness, said: "The figures are quite surprising.

"From what I see in Swindon I don't think it has increased to that extent. I don't know why there has been such an increase. All I know binge drinking seems to be a lot more attractive now. Whether it's the drinks available or the pubs not policing themselves properly I don't know."

The charity Drinksense said the drinks industry had a lot to answer for with its happy hours, two-for-one offers, coloured packaging and sweet, fruit-based alcoholic drinks.

Nationally, 31,343 children under 17 were prosecuted for being drunk and disorderly in 2003, when the data was last collected.

In 1997, the figure was 31,891 down two per cent.

Crime and disorder inspector for Swindon police, Wendy Grant, said: "The crime and disorder team is taking a robust stance against alcohol-related violence and alcohol crime with a number of initiatives in the crime and drugs reduction strategy. That includes the implementation of a patrol strategy for the town centre and measures to reduce underage sales."

Swindon solicitor Lee Mott believes the increase is down to the success of the police focusing on young people.

Mr Mott, a defence solicitor for Bishop, Longbotham and Bagnall, said: "Certainly last year there were a number in court that I noticed.

"I think the increase is down to Government pressure on the police.

"It's Government-policy driven and the police are required by public pressure to focus more attention on it.

"There are more being arrested but I don't think it's because the youth of today are degenerating."

Gareth Bethell