Two more towns in clampdown on drink

Feb 6 2008 by Dave Black, The Journal

DRINK-fuelled troublemakers are facing a clampdown in two more Northumberland towns – in a move which would effectively blanket the whole county with special powers to tackle alcohol-related street disorder.

Morpeth and Ponteland are the latest centres where growing concerns over incidents of violence, criminal damage and unruly behaviour have prompted plans to give police extra powers to tackle drunken youths.

If agreed, the move will mean Northumbria Police being armed with such troubleshooting powers in virtually every major town and village in the county, from Berwick in the north to Prudhoe and Cramlington in the south. Officers will be able to seize cans and bottles from anyone caught drinking in local streets, housing estates and parks if they are involved in, or threatening to cause, anti-social behaviour because of their drinking. Tomorrow Castle Morpeth Council’s executive board will be recommended to launch a six-week consultation exercise on plans to introduce Designated Public Place Orders (DPPO) covering the two towns.

The borough is the last area of Northumberland to come on board, after similar control orders were introduced by town hall chiefs in Berwick, Alnwick, Tynedale, Wansbeck and Blyth Valley as part of the drive to reduce problems of drink-fuelled disorder.

The DPPOs don’t ban law-abiding people from drinking in public in the designated areas, but are increasingly seen as a valuable tool to help police curb the activities of drunken troublemakers who hang around outside shops, on street corners and in parks and cemeteries.

A report to Castle Morpeth’s executive board by the council’s director of customer services Paul Johnston says the borough’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership has been concerned for some time about alcohol-related disorder.

Mr Johnston adds: “There is a perception among Morpeth and Ponteland residents that alcohol is a major factor in the incidence of anti-social behaviour in our towns.”

Yesterday council leader Peter Jackson said: “The public have told us that anti-social behaviour fuelled by alcohol is an increasing problem and this measure shows that we are responding to their concerns.” Last night Ponteland Parish Council chairman Robin Ramsay said: “I believe this move will be welcomed as a measure that police can use to tackle rowdy crowds of young people and calm them down.” Further analysis will be carried out on the possibility of introducing similar control orders in villages such as Lynemouth, Ellington and Widdrington Station.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Alcohol cited in 718 incidents

POLICE statistics show that alcohol was found to be a contributory factor in 718 incidents, including violence, criminal damage, nuisance and street drinking, across Castle Morpeth last year.

Between May 2006 and May last year, figures suggest alcohol contributed to more than 500 incidents, mainly concentrated in Morpeth and Ponteland.

These included 267 incidents of rowdy behaviour, 174 instances of violence, 31 of criminal damage and 49 involving street drinking.

However, because alcohol checks are not carried out at the conclusion of all incidents, police believe drink could be a factor in hundreds more incidents each year in the borough.

Last year Alnwick District Council introduced DPPOs covering Alnwick and Amble town centres in a bid to tackle concerns over drink-related crime and disorder.

Police figures showed that between August and December 2006, alcohol was a contributory factor in 208 incidents in Amble and 120 in Alnwick. These included violence, criminal damage, anti- social behaviour and street drinking.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Orders in force

BERWICK led the way in using new powers under the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 to allow police to clamp down on alcohol-related trouble.

South-east Northumberland is the centre for most of the county’s crime and anti-social behaviour and council bosses in Blyth Valley have introduced orders covering Blyth’s town centre and Ridley Park, as well as most of Cramlington – where the Brockwell shopping centre was once plagued by gangs of rowdy youths.

Wansbeck Council has brought in DPPOs covering Ashington and Bedlington town centres and Ashington’s Hirst Park. DPPOs were brought in to cover Amble and Alnwick last year.

Orders were introduced by Tynedale Council in 2006 to tackle trouble spots in Hexham, Prudhoe, Allendale, Corbridge, Haltwhistle and Stocksfield.