A Dispersal Order aimed at combating anti-social behaviour is to come in to force around and including Sarah Robinson House, Queen Street Portsea Tuesday April 14. It will run for six months until midnight on Monday, September 14.
The decision to put this dispersal zone in place was jointly taken by Hampshire Constabulary, the Community Wardens’ Service, Portsmouth City Council’s Youth Service and Anti-social Behaviour Unit.
This means that police and Police Community Support Officers can use powers under the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, within the area designated on the map-click here to view it . If someone remains in the area, after being told to leave, they can be fined up to £5000 and/or face three months imprisonment.
The Act provides the power to disperse groups of two or more people if they are causing or likely to cause anti-social behaviour. In the area designated, anti-social behaviour is a significant and persistent problem and members of the public have suffered intimidation, harassment, alarm or distress.
PC Chris Bibby of Charles Dickens West Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: “This dispersal order is fully backed by the community as they have been suffering anti social behaviour which has impacted on their lives.
“It aims to reduce youth nuisance in the area and the associated criminal damage, and to give residents a better quality of life. Such orders have been in place in Portsea before
now and have proved successful.”
