BEHIND THE HEADLINES: How to crack anti-social behaviour

PEOPLE across Gwent are picking up the phone and dialling 999 to report groups of people hanging around the streets who they suspect to be vandals, acting drunk and disorderly, taking or dealing drugs, making noise late at night or just generally causing a nuisance.

And there are now a number of ways police, councils and social landlords are tackling the problem.

An important step is for authorities to work together and seek house closure orders for spots where there is persistent trouble.

Newport City Homes provides social housing to some 10,000 residents in Newport and it has worked with police to bring a number of house closure orders to court in the past few years.

Last Wednesday, Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court decided to close a Newport City Homes social house in Potter Street, Newport, for three months following reports of drug taking and selling, along with neighbours stating they had been disturbed by recurring shouting, swearing and fighting.

Cwmbran magistrates decided three people – who the court heard racked up 160 offences between them – were forced to leave the disorder “haven” in Potter Street.

People at the premises threatened to stab each other and on one occasion a TV was thrown out of the property, the court was told.

Prosecutor Fleur Jones told Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court the three occupants did not have control over who went in and out of the house.

Neighbours including elderly people were at “their wits’ ends” and needed some “peace and comfort”, Gwent PC Paula Spence added.

A spokesman for Newport City Homes said: “Newport City Homes has a specialist tenancy management team which works in partnership with Gwent Police and Newport City Council to take timely and effective action to resolve anti-social behaviour complaints and other tenancy related matters.

“The team investigates every anti-social behaviour complaint received with a view to mediate, prevent and resolve issues. Unfortunately, in some cases we are required to take legal action against perpetrators whose behaviour continues to cause disturbance to local residents.

“In partnership with Gwent Police we played a key role in the request to close Potter Street and were pleased with the decision made by the judge in this matter. This evidences our commitment to deal robustly with cases of anti-social behaviour that can have such a significant impact to those living in neighbouring homes / in the vicinity.

“We do not underestimate the important role residents play in providing evidence to support court action that is undertaken. Without this essential support we may not be in a position to obtain positive results such as Potter Street.”

Again last week, Newport Magistrates’ Court granted a closure order at an address in the city following residents’ complaints over anti-social behaviour, including loud music being played throughout the day and night.

The tenant of the property, a mother of three, will be committing a crime and could face imprisonment if she goes into the property in the next three months.

The woman had been previously issued with an acceptable behaviour order last month, but it was breached in just two days when she damaged her neighbour’s car with her stiletto heel. When her neighbour challenged her after the incident, she chased her neighbour back into her home.

The court heard how the woman’s daughter, 16, has held numerous parties in the house in the last eight weeks and 55 calls were made to Gwent Police relating to these parties. Incidents reported included loud music, swearing, shouting, under-age drinking, cannabis use, and house guests using neighbours’ gardens as toilets.

Wearing hoodies, these youngsters also kicked wing mirrors off cars, before throwing them through bedroom windows, and knocked on a young girl’s bedroom window at midnight, which led to her requiring counselling.

Cllr Bob Poole, Newport City Council’s cabinet member for licensing and statutory functions, said: “Clearly the number of complaints of anti-social behaviour received by Gwent Police over the past two years and during the first quarter of 2015 is a concern.

“It is important however, that we put these figures into context and look at the many positive actions that have happened to reduce and tackle anti-social behaviour in the city.

“A large number of the complaints recorded for the period in question are classified as a person or persons causing a ‘nuisance’. Many of these relate to multiple calls about the same incident.

“That said, I’m sure the most important thing for our residents is how the police respond to their calls, and the subsequent action taken by the appropriate authorities.

“Over the past few days, readers of the South Wales Argus will have seen clear examples of action taken by the courts to tackle anti-social behaviour in the city as a direct result of work carried out by the police.”

Tai Calon, which is the largest social housing provider in Blaenau Gwent with more than 6,100 homes, regularly deals with anti-social behaviour complaints. Between January 1, 2013 and March 31, 2015, Tai Calon had around 1,000 cases of anti-social behaviour in their homes – with most being about noise nuisance such as loud music.

Phil Hackling, who leads the anti-social behaviour team at Tai Calon, said: “We deal with any report of anti-social behaviour firmly, but fairly. If proved, our aim is to persuade those responsible to change their behaviour and in doing so, to stop causing the problem.

“Tai Calon also works closely with Gwent Police and other agencies to make sure that we can learn from each other when dealing with anti-social behaviour.”

A spokesman for Caerphilly Council, which has more than 11,000 council homes, added “The council, along with other key agencies in the Community Safety Partnership, works hard to reduce levels of crime and disorder, anti social behaviour, substance misuse and fear of crime in the area. We are committed to making the Caerphilly county borough a safer place to live, work and visit.”

l Other methods the police use to address anti social behaviour include the issuing of acceptable behaviour contracts (ABCs).

This is an early intervention (generally following two warnings but prior to an anti-social behaviour order) made against individuals who are perceived to be engaging in anti-social behaviour.

The contract is drawn up and agreed upon by the agencies concerned in consultation with the individual, and details what behaviour the individual will cease to partake in and what activities the individual will pursue to change their behaviour.

Breach of an ABC is often used as evidence to support an application for an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo).

Asbos are imposed by the courts and set out details of what behaviour must be stopped.

In Gwent, they have included stopping people swearing in public, urinating in public, being on licensed premises, and entering Newport city centre or other specific areas.

Breaching an Asbo is a criminal offence which could lead to imprisonment of up to five years and / or a fine up of to £2,000.

Neighbourhood police officers and PCSOs also undertake positive ways to steer people – especially young people – out of anti-social behaviour.

They have organised alternatives to trick-or-treating on Hallowe’en, for example.

l Anti-social behaviour is something which worries the people we talked to in Newport.

Andrew Morgan and Helena Morgan live in Windmill Square, Pill, Newport

Mrs Morgan said: “We normally see kids fighting, shouting and being drunk and disorderly. They congregate in small groups around the back of Windmill Square and near Asda.

“When meeting up at night me and my friend wait on the street corners for each other when we are walking home to make sure each one of us gets home safe. It is an intimidating place to live.”

“Pill has disintegrated over the last 40 years. They really do have their hands full, the police,” Mr Morgan said.

Along with Ringland, Victoria, St Julians and Bettws, Pill topped the table for the most calls of anti-social behaviour in Newport.

Newport city councillor Paul Cockeram, 64, of Pill, said: “I am surprised about those figures. I work with the homeless in Newport so I walk up and down the streets all the time.

“People think kids on street corners are causing trouble but a lot of the time they are not. Standing around with my friends was what I was doing when I was their age.”

Hannah Sargent, 18, from Bettws, also bemoaned the lack of opportunities available for young people in Newport.

She said: “There is nothing here for them. There are no youth groups or anything else for young people. I used to be like them when I was 14, causing trouble, but I have grown out of it now.”

Paul Murphy, founder of Pride in Pill, a group set up to tackle fly-tipping, agreed: “I can see why the numbers are so high as there is nothing for them. There are no parks, there’s nowhere for them to go.

“There’s not enough youth clubs either, and the ones which are there aren’t being advertised well enough.”

Sue Duddridge and Rosa Clayden, from Maesglas, praised the police in their area:

“They are doing plenty of good work the police. In Maesglas there are not many of them there but they are doing really well.

The PCSOs are brilliant and we see them quite a lot.”

John Hoida, from St Julian’s, said: “I think we all realise there is a problem with anti-social behaviour in Newport. If you go into any coffee shop in town you will get the same answer.”