Ellesmere Port officers enforce dispersal order to crackdown on increased reports of ASB

Officers in Ellesmere Port have introduced a dispersal order following an increase in reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB) in the town.

Over the past week officers have received reports of a large group of youths who have been committing ASB in the town centre and Whitby Park areas.

The group are also believed to be involved in two assaults which both occurred on Tuesday 21 February.

The first incident occurred in Ellesmere Port town centre at around 6.30pm where a 13-year-old boy was assaulted. A short time later, at 7.23pm another 13-year-old boy was assaulted at Whitby Park. Both boys sustained minor injuries.

The order, which came into force at 5.30pm on Wednesday 22 February and ends at 00.01 on Friday 24 February, covers Ellesmere Port Town centre, Whitby Park and the Westminster area.

 

The dispersal order has been imposed under Section 34 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, allows officers to order people to leave a specific area and make it an offence for anyone to return to a specific area for up to 48 hours.

Chief Inspector Paul Fegan, head of Ellesmere Port Local Policing Unit, said:

“Due to ongoing anti-social behaviour here in Ellesmere Port by a small minority of young people, we have had we have put in these extra measures in place to deter this behaviour and reassure people that we are taking this seriously.

“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated; our communities should not be disrupted by anti-social behaviour. Every resident has the right to feel safe in their neighbourhoods yet a small minority are disrupting this.

“I would urge anyone who witnesses or feels that they have been subjected to anti-social behaviour to report this to us by calling 101 or reporting it via our website so that we can investigate further.”

Enquiries in relation to the two assaults are ongoing and anyone with any information is asked to contact Cheshire Police on 101, or at www.cheshire.police.uk/tell-us , quoting IML 1484726.

Information can also be reported anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.