Action to halt lout menace

By Connie Osborne 03/08 Updated: 03/08 10:09

A RISE in anti-social behaviour in Church Hill has led to an order banning troublemakers from the district centre.

Over the last two months there has been an increase in reports of shouting, swearing, stone throwing, fighting and people

climbing on roofs as well as drunkenness in the centre and immediate surrounding area.

Police have now imposed a dispersal order which allows officers to move on groups of two or more people they suspect may

intimidate, harass or distress the public. They can also return children under-16 found in the area between 9pm and 6am

without a parent or responsible adult, back to their homes. Anyone who refuses can be arrested.

The order began last Friday (July 27) and lasts for two months. It covers the area around the shopping centre, YMCA car park,

the bus lane at the centre, Knowle Close, the car park off Tanhouse Lane, St Andrew's Church and the medical centre.

Abbeywood First and Church Hill Middle Schools are also covered along with Mendip House and Church Hill Community Centre.

Sgt Neil Billingham, for North East Redditch, said: "The type of behaviour seen recently in Church Hill is completely

unacceptable and causes heightened levels of anxiety for anyone encountering the groups of young people responsible.

"By utilising the power to disperse groups, we have the opportunity to move people on before anything more serious occurs.

This will be particularly useful during the school holidays and any periods of fine weather when anti-social behaviour is likely

to increase.

"This is the 23rd such order to be used in the north east of Redditch since 2003 and every one to date has succeeded in

reducing the number of calls we receive about such behaviour and the number of actual incidents taking place."

Anti-social behaviour can be reported to West Mercia Police by calling 101.