Police crackdown on anti-social behaviour near Havant Rugby Football Club after bottles thrown and fires lit

Reports of verbal abuse, glass bottles being thrown, and fireworks being set off near Havant Rugby Club were being made since October – with a group of youths largely responsible. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary have stepped up patrols in the Hooks Lane and Fraser Road area since, and incidents are decreasing.

Patrick Wilson, Havant Rugby Club operations manager, told The News: ‘It seems to have eased off a bit. The police have managed to use CCTV to identify many of the kids and speak to their parents.

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‘We’ve seen a decrease in kids loitering in the area, and we’ve seen a bigger police presence here every day now. Residents have seen the police have acted on it and things have improved.’

Mr Wilson described the problems as being the worst it had ever been on November 16, with numerous incidents – including fences being pulled down – reported in a three-week timeframe. He added the youths – 25 of them – were between eight and 16-years-old.

He detailed one harrowing incident where the group tried to get into the building to assault one of the children inside at a community drop-in session on November 14.

‘Although they’re all minors, they could cause some serious damage,’ he said. ‘I can’t say if it’s this group, but we have had some vandalism on our artificial grass pitch, people letting off fires on there.

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‘Our members were getting verbally abused. We’ve had bottle thrown at us, kids spitting as we try to get through the doors. It’s not been very nice. It has been a concern for safety.’

Police said criminal behaviour has fallen, and targeted patrols will continue. A spokeswoman added: ‘The local neighbourhood policing team has been upping patrols in the area and talking to local residents to gain a full understanding of the issues. We have also been working with our partners, engaging with the young people involved and directing them towards other activities in the area.

‘We have identified many of those involved, who were visited by officers who spoke with them and their parents about their behaviour. We have also issued three Community Resolutions. Since this work has been undertaken, we have seen a reduction in reports.’