Arrest following Ramsgate dispersal order

A dispersal order to deter anti-social behaviour in Ramsgate has led to the arrest of a man wanted on recall to prison.

Between Friday 1 June and Tuesday 18 June 2024, criminal damage, drugs misuse and street drinking were reported in the town centre and in Ellington Park. Police also received reports of abusive comments being made to members of the public.

It was further alleged that groups of young people had attempted to steal items from a premises in King Street and had behaved aggressively to shop staff.

Response

In response to the concerns raised by residents and businesses in the town, a dispersal order - covering town centre streets and the harbour area - was put in place, granting officers extra powers to disperse groups of people and arrest those who failed to comply.

On Wednesday 19 June, officers arrested a man who was wanted on recall to prison. Alcohol was also confiscated from street drinkers under a Public Space Protection Order issued by Thanet District Council.

Items seized

Following reports of suspicious behaviour, plain clothes officers stopped and searched two men and seized counterfeit perfume and other products that had been on sale to purchase.

A group of teenagers was observed riding bicycles in a dangerous manner and nuisance behaviour was also reported at an amusement arcade. The group was dispersed and an e-scooter with no insurance was seized.

Inspector Jim Woodward from Thanet’s Community Safety Unit said: ‘We take all reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously, being well aware of how it impacts our residents and local businesses.

‘In addition to our regular patrols in Ramsgate, we recently enforced a dispersal order, the results of which included counterfeit products being removed from sale; an uninsured scooter being seized; valuable intelligence being gathered and an arrest being made.

‘It’s very important that all crime and anti-social behaviour are reported to us through the appropriate channels, and I would encourage anyone experiencing issues to do so. This helps us to assess where persistent problems may be occurring so that we can deliver a robust response.'