OLDHAM: Residents win first battle with the yobs

Residents win first battle with the yobs

http://www.oldhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/s/230/230929_residents_win_first_battle_with_the_yobs.html

PEOPLE power has triumphed as police launch a six-month crackdown on East Oldham yobs who have made life hell for residents.

Officers began implementing a new dispersal order yesterday (Weds) to tackle long-running problems with youths in Waterhead and Moorside.

The move – the fourth such order to be actioned in Oldham this summer – comes after Counthill residents presented police with an extensive and chilling catalogue of anti-social behaviour.

The order allows officers to break up groups of two or more who are hanging around on streets, harassing and intimidating local residents. Individuals can also be forced to leave a locality and may even be excluded from an area for up to 24 hours.

After 9pm officers and PCSOs are also empowered to frogmarch youngsters under the age of 16 home if they have reasonable grounds to believe they are taking part in anti-social behaviour and are not accompanied by a responsible adult over 18 years.

Inspector Jonathon Clarke, of East Oldham neighbourhood policing team, said: "Dispersal orders are proving useful in other areas of the borough and we are hoping to use this to tackle problems in East Oldham.

"This isn’t just a police initiative, it has grown out of consultation with the local community, councillors and business owners. We are working together to tackle the growing culture of anti-social behaviour."

The dispersal order was sought with the backing of Oldham Council and follows an Oldham Advertiser report earlier this month. We highlighted how gangs of drunken yobs have forced many Counthill residents to live in fear – with some cancelling holidays and sending their children to stay elsewhere at weekends.

A group hit back by forming a residents’ committee and took their concerns direct to the police at the St James and Waterhead Community Council.

Their log of incidents included excessive noise, breaking windows, fighting in gardens, setting horses free, damaging property, urinating through letterboxes, trespass and arson attacks.

A popular Moorside shop and post office, Stu’s News, also closed because the owner, Stuart Mallender, said he was no longer prepared to put himself and his staff in danger from violent and abusive behaviour.

He said he was well supported by the police, but that they struggled with prosecutions because of the fact witnesses were too scared to come forward.

The dispersal order is part of a new toolkit of measures to tackle such behaviour which also includes sending letters to the parents of children and getting repeat offenders to sign Acceptable Behaviour Contracts.

This is the fourth in place in the borough after similar crackdowns started in Chadderton, Failsworth and Hollinwood last month.

Waterhead Councillor Kay Knox, said: "Anti-social behaviour can have a huge impact on a community and make many people’s lives a misery. We need to find ways of getting young people involved in positive activities."