Police stick to drink message

Mar 10 2008 by Neil Mckay, The Journal

POLICE are using stickers to clampdown on shops and off-licences which sell booze to under-age drinkers in the region.

Bottles and cans are being labelled with tamper-proof labels so officers can track alcohol confiscated from young drinkers back to the supplier.

A Bottlewatch scheme which has already been tried successfully in Newcastle, is now being piloted in parts of County Durham.

About 30 traders in Newcastle’s East End signed up to the voluntary Bottlewatch scheme last year.

They put stickers on bottles which identify where they were sold. This enables the police to track them back when they find discarded.

According to Northumbria Police, the scheme resulted in less anti-social behaviour and a reduction of 19.4% in criminal damage in Newcastle’s East End.

Now a similar scheme is being tried in Ferryhill and Spennymoor – the first of its kind in County Durham. Police coming across youths drinking in public can trace the drinks to their point of sale.

They will also be on the lookout for anyone buying on behalf of under-age youths. The stickers enable officers to pinpoint troublespots and keep a closer eye on premises they believe may be flouting the law.

Sgt Jayne Burdess, of Durham Police, said: “By tackling alcohol misuse by young people we can make a significant impact on the levels of anti-social behaviour. We are confident the communities of Ferryhill, Chilton, West Cornforth and Spennymoor will soon see the positive results of this action.”

A similar scheme is proposed for Darlington, and if it is successful then the labels could be attached to drinks sold in off-licences across the region.