Street drinkers and drug addicts in resort face legal crackdown

The crackdown will target members of a 15-strong group who regularly urinate in shop doorways, swear and shout at passers-by and harass visitors to the seaside resort.

Police have applied for a Dispersal Order, which will give officers powers to banish groups of two or more offenders causing problems in the town centre and arrest anyone who returns within 24 hours, before hauling them to court. It also allows them to take youngsters under the age of 16 home and place them under a curfew between the hours of 9pm and 6am.

The move follows a barrage of complaints from distressed residents and local traders who face daily battles with the intimidating group.

Upset tourists have also voiced concerns, claiming the problem reflects badly on the town and puts people off making a return visit.

The plans are set to be approved by Scarborough Borough Council next Thursday and the order could be in place as early as next month if North Yorkshire Police chiefs agree to rubber-stamp the application.

Barry Graham, the borough council’s crime reduction and anti-social behaviour co-ordinator, said: “Scarborough like most towns and cities has got a small but significant group of street drinkers which cause problems for residents and traders, and, with it being a tourist attraction, it also causes problems for visitors to the town.

“People can be abusive, insulting and tend to use shop doorways and other areas to urinate. It’s basically the same group which over a period of time has become problematic. They can be seen either standing on street corners or sprawling on benches in locations throughout the town centre with drink in front of them and you can see them from 7.30am right through to tea time. They have become increasingly problematic over the last number of months and police and the council have received a growing number of complaints. This is one of the actions police are taking to try and manage the problem.”

Mr Graham said drunken members of the group frequently entered shops and hurled abuse at staff – particularly those working in off-licences who have refused to sell them alcohol.

“Businesses are having to put up with anti-social behaviour which they are reporting to police on a regular basis. They believe that because of the conduct of people, they are losing trade as it puts people off going into places,” he said.

The issue was highlighted at a meeting last month, which saw police present a dossier of evidence to people blighted by the group’s anti-social behaviour.

If given the go-ahead, the order will be enforced for six months across the area bounded by Victoria Road, Northway, Aberdeen Walk, and Westborough, together with West Square.

If the situation fails to improve, police can apply for a second order, however, Mr Graham hopes the measures will address the problem.

He said: “It can be extended for a further six months but can’t go one for more than a year. But one hopes that you deal with it in the first part of the term. The police have frequently asked people to move on, but within a short period of time they have returned. The reality is this stops it at least in the short term. We are trying to ensure these people find somewhere else to drink out of public view.

“Anything which assists the police in removing the street drinkers from the town centre is of benefit to the community. We want to ensure Scarborough is a decent place for people to come to visit and to live and reside in. People want to be able to enjoy the town centre without being accosted by people having too much to drink.”