Police are granted extra powers to crack down on street thugs

A section 30 dispersal order has now been granted for six months after South Yorkshire Police and Doncaster Council made an application aimed at cracking down on anti-social behaviour in Wheatley.

Peter Davies, Mayor of Doncaster, said: “This order is another significant step in our fight against anti-social behaviour.

“It’s a shame that a small minority cause so much nuisance for everyone else but I’m confident that this dispersal order will cut anti-social behaviour in Wheatley.”

The order, which will come into effect on Friday, June 3, will enable police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) to disperse groups of two or more people that are “causing a nuisance” in a specific area.

It also allows the police to return a teenager home if they are under 16 and unsupervised in a public place after 9pm.

The order was implemented after residents complained of a series of incidents of anti-social behaviour including the use of abusive and foul language, criminal damage, littering and intimidating behaviour.

Pc Karl Hughes from the Wheatley safer neighbourhood team said: “The application for the dispersal order was made as a direct response to residents’ concerns about anti-social behaviour in the area.

“The order will enable us to disperse groups of young people and intervene if it looks likely that there may be an incident of antisocial behaviour.”

The dispersal order will cover areas of Wheatley including Beckett Road, Chester Road, Durham Road, Ely Road, Lichfield Road, Lincoln Road, Liverpool Avenue, Parkway North, Ripon Avenue, Southwell Road, Wells Road, Wheatley Hall Road, Unity Flats as well as the alleyways that serve these streets.

Legally, police officers can use powers under section 30 of the anti-social behaviour act if they have “reasonable grounds” to believe that the behaviour of a group of people “has resulted, or is likely to result, in any member of the public being intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed.”

The legislation applies to groups of two or more people in a specific location where anti-social behaviour is a “significant and persistent” problem.

Coun John Sheppard, Doncaster Council member for Wheatley ward, said: “No-one wants to live in an area blighted by anti-social behaviour and we work very closely with the police to crack down on these habitual offenders.”

Police officers have also been organising various “diversionary” activities in Wheatley to try and dissuade teenagers from drinking or causing trouble on the streets.

During the school Easter holidays this year the force based a South Yorkshire Police bus at Baxter Park, where residents had complained drug dealing was taking place.

Officers also arranged a community barbecue, competitions and outings to locations including the Magna centre and the Peak District, for a day abseiling, rock climbing and orienteering.

PCSO Lisa Telford said: “Utilising the park facilities proved successful in deterring groups from using the park as a drug meeting point.

“It was great to see local children and residents positively engaging as a community and being able to use the park as it should be used.”

“We are looking at working with the council and providing community engagement activities on a monthly basis.”

Dispersal orders have previously been implemented in numerous other areas of South Yorkshire, including Graves Park in Sheffield, Doncaster town centre and the area around Doncaster interchange, to tackle anti-social behaviour and street drinking.