Bangor becomes first town to have dispersal order covering entire centre
Bangor in Wales is this week thought to have become the first town in the UK to have a dispersal order covering the whole of its centre, with youngsters under 16 banned from the area between 9 pm and 6 am.
Under the terms of the order:
- Police Officers, (including PCSOs), will have the power to order groups of two or more who congregate in specified vicinities to leave the area
- Officers can order groups who do not live in the area to leave and not return
- Under-16s can only be in the specified area between 9 pm and 6 am if they are in the effective control of a parent or responsible adult aged 18 or over.
The order was issued by the Gwynedd Community Safety Partnership, which includes Gwynedd County Council and North Wales Police.
The first time this type of order has been used in the town, it will apply to central Bangor and specifically the town centre for six months as part of a drive to tackle anti-social behaviour such as drinking in public.
Failure to comply could lead to up to three months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £2,500.
The council and the police said a number of complaints had been received in the past, adding that they believed that “the presence or bad behaviour of two or more individuals has resulted in members of the public being intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed which has caused persistent problems”.
Speaking on behalf of the police and the council, Inspector Simon Barrasford said: “Dispersal Orders have proved an effective weapon against anti social behaviour in other parts of the force and can demonstrate how partnership working can be most effective. Many people are working very hard to improve and regenerate the city centre as well as just wanting to enjoy their daily lives without being intimidated or harassed and I have no doubt dispersal orders areas will assist in that endeavour.”
Insp. Barrasford added: "Drinking in public has an adverse effect not only on visitors' perception but also on the quality of life of residents. Working closely with our partners in the local authorities I'm confident that we can have a positive impact on the area."
Catherine Roberts, Senior Community Safety Officer, claimed that the use of a dispersal order within Gwynedd was likely to be an effective means of reducing anti-social behaviour.
She added: “Simply by introducing such orders is not in itself the solution as there is a great deal of hard work involved in making these orders effective, and we are fortunate to have a very good working relationship with our colleagues in North Wales Police, when dealing with such issues. Of course it does not stop there, the support of the community is essential so that any improvements are maintained in the longer term.”
The move by the Gwynedd CSP has been criticised, however.
Keith Towler, the Children's Commissioner for Wales, told the BBC that the dispersal order "demonises under-16s, isolates them from their communities, alienates them from police and spreads the misconception that all young people are troublemakers".
He added that the police already had the power to take action against those that are engaging in criminal behaviour in a public place.
Nick Pickles of Big Brother Watch described as “madness” the idea that you could be fined or imprisoned for walking through the town centre because you were 15 and not accompanied by a parent.
“To say that any under 16 year old who is unaccompanied between 9 pm and 6 am is a criminal is the kind of draconian law you’d expect in North Korea, not North Wales,” he added.
Pickles also criticised the wording of the order, claiming that there was no requirement for a person to be involved in wrongdoing.
