AN outbreak of anti-social behaviour that plagued a Valleys town centre earlier this year was the result of a “perfect storm”, councillors have been told. 

Shopkeepers and residents complained of anti-social behaviour in July and intimidation from teenagers. 

Youth offending manager Tracey Davies said alcohol and drug abuse had driven the problems in Pontypool. 

She told councillors: “Girls were going into shops stealing alcohol and then sharing that out with a wider group including boys.” 

Cwmbran Labour councillor Collette Thomas asked, at Torfaen Borough Council’s children and families scrutiny committee meeting, if the youth offending service was aware of what caused the anti-social behaviour, that also impacted Cwmbran, and if substance abuse was part of the problem. 

Ms Davies also said there was also a mix of children and young people who were known to the service and the criminal justice system and a lot of other children who had no involvement with those services and weren’t known to them.

She said: “It was a perfect storm, a particular mix of children and the opportunity to steal alcohol and drugs that led to that impact but there have been improvements since then.” 

The operations manager also said some young adults had also been involved in Pontypool. 

Since the problems arose she said as well as involvement of the youth offending service, the council’s community safety partnership had been addressing problems as well as the education and health services. 

Her colleague Adam Nash said a worker from the Gwent N-Gage drug and alcohol support service is seconded to youth offending and can refer youngsters to specialist help, including mental health support. 

He said “she is known to the children as, ‘Druggie Jo” and said she can support those who have problems with “alcohol, cannabis, cocaine and other drugs”. 

The committee was given a comprehensive briefing on the youth offending service, which works in Torfaen and Monmouthshire, and its efforts to reduce offending and preventative measures intended to avoid children aged 10 to 17 entering the criminal justice system. 

READ MORE: Pontypool: anti-social behaviour making traders feel unsafe

Councillors had wanted to know it is targeting anti-social behaviour “hot spot” areas and said they were satisfied it is working effectively but are concerned at the potential impact of budget cuts on the service. 

Ms Davies said the issue of children stealing alcohol from shops is also a problem in other areas of Torfaen and in Monmouthshire, “particularly in Abergavenny”.