Police use dispersal order powers in Portsmouth city centre as patrols aim to clamp down on anti-social behaviour

The order in Portsmouth city centre started at 3pm yesterday and will remain in place until 3pm on Saturday. It covers the area from the Marketway Roundabout to the north and to the bottom of Guildhall Walk to the south.

As previously reported in The News, youths were wreaking havoc; playing football inside shops, throwing stones at buses and hurling objects off of rooftops. Two teenagers, 13 and 15, were detained following a break-in at Port Maid Fashions in Arundel Street.

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Manager Sean Smith said glass was strewn across the floor after the front door was smashed. A dispersal order allows police to move people on who are congregating in the vicinity.

It is a criminal offence to not comply with the order. A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary spokesman confirmed that these powers had to be used on one occasion.

He said: ‘Officers carried out dedicated patrols throughout the area and the dispersal order powers were used once to move on a man from that area. No further issues were raised to officers.’

SEE ALSO: Teenagers smash front door of Port Maid Fashions in break-in

Inspector Smith previously confirmed that seven children were frogmarched home to their parents following several incidents. he said: ‘If you suspect that your kids may be involved in this kind of anti-social behaviour, please find out where they’ve been, and are going when they go out, so that they don’t breach this dispersal order.

“Anyone who witnesses anti-social behaviour or large gatherings of people whilst the dispersal order is in place should call 101, or report it to us online.’