Crackdown on bad behaviour (From Free Press Series)

Crackdown on bad behaviour

A team of police officers patrolled the streets of Cwmbran on Friday night in a special operation to crack down on anti-social behaviour.

Around 15 officers were involved in the operation to target problem areas in the town centre and estates.

Torfaen trading standards officers were also out with the teams making test purchases of alcohol at off-licences with youngsters under 18.

By 7pm, after an hour on patrol, officers had stopped a gang of 20 youths outside McDonald's in Cwmbran shopping centre and confiscated three bottles of cider from two 14-year-old girls.

Officers used a dispersal order to move the group from the town centre. PC Mark Gazzi said: "We are trying to pre-empt any anti-social problems so it doesn't get out of hand.

"We have had incidents of violent disorder at night in the town centre because of youths drinking alcohol."

The next area officers targeted was the Pantry Shop, in Greenmeadow, where a number of anti-social incidents have taken place in the past year.

Police found another gang of youths drinking cans of lager, which were confiscated, and the youths moved on.

The next stop was Pontnewydd Park, where groups of up to 50 youths have been known to gather and cause problems.

The park was quiet but, in Pontnewydd village, officers stopped a man in his 40s who was urinating against a wall.

The man was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and was found to be in breach of an anti-social behaviour order.

He was later charged at Newport central police station.

PC Gazzi said: "Although this arrest is not strictly part of the operation it demonstrates the problems we have with drinking and anti-social behaviour in Cwmbran."

Just after 8pm, a group of youths were stopped in Northville, drinking and smoking in a park.

The alcohol was confiscated, but police took no action against the group. PC Darrel Dewar, crime and disorder reduction officer, told the youths: "Although you are not causing any trouble we have had a lot of complaints from people living nearby.

"You can take the message back to your friends and others that we are cracking down on this sort of behaviour."