Five arrests for drugs and assaults at Southsea Common as police enforce huge dispersal order

Hampshire police imposed the zone covering miles of seafront at midday yesterday, lasting up to midday on Friday.

A senior officer warned police will continue to pursue the ‘few intent on causing anti-social behaviour and engaging in violence’.

It comes after a large crowd gathered at Southsea Common with fights reported on Tuesday night.

The arrests made were:

:: Prosper Yandisa Langeni, 24, of no fixed address, now charged with two counts of common assault on an emergency worker.

:: Robertino Brown, 19, of Knox Road, Portsmouth, was charged with assaulting an emergency worker, a police officer, and has been charged with using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress. He is due at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on July 23.

:: An 18-year-old man for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply and failure to comply with the dispersal notice.

:: A 15-year-old boy arrested for failing to comply with a S35 dispersal notice.

:: A 16-year-old boy arrested for failing to comply with a S35 dispersal notice.

Acting Inspector Darren Ali said: ‘Today, our patrol plans and the dispersal order remains in place.

‘The map shows the area where we have our dedicated patrols and outlines the dispersal zone.

‘Yesterday, we put a dispersal order in place for 48 hours which lasts until midday tomorrow. As we approach that expiry time, we are able to review the order and if required, authorise another one.

‘Dispersal orders give us the power to order a person to leave the designated area and not return for 24 hours. Breaching this is a criminal offence.

‘We know that the majority of people in Old Portsmouth are out to enjoy the warm weather and we want you to enjoy these areas of the city safely with friends and loved ones.

‘Therefore, our additional patrols and dispersal order will remain in place to tackle those few intent on causing anti-social behaviour and engaging in violence of any kind and that’s where our focus will be.’

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