Behave or be barred – magistrates issue first drinking banning order

Magistrates in Banbury have issued the first drinking banning order under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006 since the power to do so became available in September this year.

On 4th December 2009, Banbury Magistrates' Court heard 24-year-old Ryan Kane had been barred from entering any Pub Watch premises in Banbury for over three years due to the harassment and intimidation of staff and customers.

Kane had breached a banning order imposed on him by members of the Banbury Pub Watch scheme over 40 times. Using new rules which became law on September 1st 2009, the Banbury Magistrates' Court barred Kane for 2 years from pubs and buying alcohol from off-licences.

According to Poppleston Allen Solicitor Graeme Cushion, the new orders exist under the Violent Crime Reduction Act, various parts of which have come into force over the last 3 years.

“An order can be made on application to the Magistrates Court by the Police or Local Authority or on conviction for an alcohol related offence,” he said. “Such an order can last for between 2 months and 2 years and is therefore more of a "short sharp shock" than an ASBO.”

Under the Act, a breach of a drinking banning order will result in a fine not exceeding £2,500. There is no custodial penalty.

The banning order follows the High Court case earlier this year upholding Haverhill Pub Watch's decision to exclude an individual from all the pubs in its area.