Police issue dispersal order at Southsea hotspots after children pelted with rocks

The force said its seasonal Op Nautical patrols are underway in areas blighted by anti-social behaviour during sunny weather. Portsmouth City Council said patrols had “increased” in popular locations.

A dispersal order has now been issued from midday today until 10pm on Wednesday (April 9) at South Parade Pier, Canoe Lake, Clarence Esplanade, Hotwalls and the Camber, police said.

It comes after an angry parent took to social media demanding to find the parents of teenagers she said had lobbed rocks at her three children, aged three, six and nine at Hotwalls on Monday.

The parent claimed the “disrespectful” teenagers were “sat drinking bottles of wine, vodka and had multiple (beer) crates with them” when the incident erupted in the popular Old Portsmouth location as “music blasted” out. “After asking them nicely to stop they continued to throw stones towards us and then decided to make their way over to shout abuse at us in front of the children,” the post said, alongside a picture of a group of teenagers.

“We asked them to leave us alone. It got pretty heated between us. We were waiting to get into our car and they decided to follow us and continue to scream and shout at us.

“I shouldn’t have to ask them to stop. It shouldn’t happen in the first place. Disgusting behaviour.”

A Portsmouth City Council spokesperson said they had “increased patrols” following the incident before adding: “Portsmouth City Council meet with several partners across the warmer months, taking a preventive, supportive and enforcement approach when needed to detect and manage anti-social behaviour on the seafront, making it a safe, clean and tidy place for all."