Police declare Portsmouth seafront dispersal order a success as arrests and sickening behaviour plummets

Powers allowing officers to move people on from Southsea seafront were enforced last Friday afternoon and throughout the weekend. Last weekend saw the second dispersal order implemented in the area – covering landmarks such as South Parade Pier, Canoe Lake, Clarence Esplanade, the Hotwalls and the Camber.

Inspector Dan Johnson said dispersal orders are discouraging yobs committing public order offences. He added: ‘Proactively highlighting the powers available to us and dispersal orders when they are introduced helps to act as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour and crime.

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‘I’m pleased to say the dispersal order introduced last weekend following an increase in reports of public order incidents, theft and anti-social behaviour around South Parade Pier and Clarence Esplanade contributed to a reduction in the number of reports made to us in the area over the weekend.’

The first order was issued on May 26, with youths wreaking havoc and allegedly launching a picnic bench off South Parade Pier and into the sea. Two youths were frogmarched home to their parents after stones and vile abuse were hurled at beach goers.

Inspector Johnson said a group were seen throwing stones on South Parade Pier on Saturday, June 10 – with police receiving a report shortly after 12.45pm. The yobs left the area before officers arrived.

One the same afternoon, at around 5.20pm, police enforced their dispersal order powers on the pier. A 13-year-old child promptly left the area.

Inspector Johnson said no arrests were made over the weekend, and dispersal order powers were not used at any other time. Officers are also investigating two reports of bike theft in the area, he added.

Under the Section 34 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, a dispersal order allows police to move individuals or groups of people away from an area – blocking them from returning while the powers are in place. Officers can enforce these capabilities, and it is a criminal offence for someone not to comply.

Anyone under the age of 16 can be taken back home to their parents. The maximum amount of time an dispersal order can be in place for is 48 hours.

No indication was made as to whether this will be implemented again in the near future. Inspector Johnson said dispersal order powers were used seven times when it was issued over the May Bank Holiday weekend – with four arrests being made on suspicion of breaching the dispersal notice.

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He added that the falling number of reports show their methods are working. ‘This demonstrates our work over recent weeks has helped to reduce the anti-social behaviour and public order issues in the area,’ Inspector Johnson said.

‘We will use all options available to us to take a robust approach to crimes that matter to our communities. Dispersal orders will be utilised where appropriate based on what is reported to us or what we observe during our regular patrols in this area over the summer months.’