Member Article

Alcohol seized under street-drinking crackdown

Hundreds of cans and bottles have been confiscated from people caught drinking in the streets on Tyneside as part of a Northumbria Police crackdown on crime and disorder. Alcohol Exclusion Zones were introduced in the Westerhope and Denton areas of Newcastle a few weeks ago. Since then, officers from Newcastle Area Command have seized more than 200 cans and bottles from people caught breaking the law.The Alcohol Exclusion zones make it an offence for anyone to drink or carry alcohol on the street. Using their discretion, officers can seize drink and either pour it away or confiscate it and dispose of it later. Those who refuse to hand over the drink face arrest. The police said that the initiative has proved so useful that it is now applying to the City Council for similar orders for Newbiggin Hall and parts of Newburn and Throckley.Newcastle Outer West Community Inspector Steve Robson said: “If adults have legitimately bought alcohol and are taking it home then obviously that’s no problem, but we will not tolerate people walking around swigging alcohol from cans or bottles, or adults who are buying drink for youngsters. “When we get reports of anti-social behaviour we often find there is drink involved. Just last Saturday one of my officers was assaulted while taking drink from youths. This was totally unacceptable and has reinforced my intention to explore every avenue available to eradicate this irresponsible and criminal behaviour across the whole of the outer west area. “To that end I can call on the full range of resources from within the force and our partner agencies to achieve this aim.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .