Over 250 CPWs and CPNs issued to tackle antisocial behaviour

A continuous crackdown on antisocial behaviour has resulted in over 250 Community Protection Warnings and Notices being issued to some of Kent’s most persistent troublemakers.

Nuisance motorists, street drinkers, shoplifters and people who encourage mass gatherings on social media are among those to have received formal letters from Kent Police so far this year, instructing them to change their ways or risk further action being taken.

Officers have issued a total of 217 Community Protection Warnings (CPWs) to individuals who cause antisocial behaviour, and 51 Community Protection Notices (CPNs) to those who had already received warnings but continued to cause issues.

Breaching a CPN is a specific criminal offence and so far this year a total of 66 arrests have been made.

Examples

Recent examples include:

• On 24 June officers arrested a man on suspicion of affray after he was believed to have been seen throwing punches at several people on the beach at Margate. He was later released without charge as the case did not meet the evidential threshold for prosecution, however he was still issued with a CPW banning him from returning to Thanet for the rest of the summer due to his suspected link to causing antisocial behaviour.

• On 17 June a town centre beat officer located a 53-year-old man who was visibly drunk with a group of other people in Chatham High Street, having already previously received a CPN banning him from doing so. He was arrested and later charged with breaching a CPN.

• A 24-year-old man from Maidstone was issued with a CPW for using social media to encourage a mass gathering in Broadstairs across the spring bank holiday weekend, which officers believe contributed to instances of disorder.

• On 18 May officers issued a CPW to a 56-year-old man who was reported to have been begging in Maidstone town centre, and being abusive and threatening to members of the public.

• Police officers responding to reports of nuisance vehicles on the A228 Snodland Bypass on 29 May issued a CPW to the driver of a sports car spotted attempting to leave the area.

Footage

Campaign

Antisocial Behaviour Awareness Week runs from 29 June to 5 July and is a national campaign bringing together policing, housing, local government, charities and community partners to shine a light on the various ways in which antisocial behaviour is being tackled.

Superintendent Rob Marsh, Head of Strategic Prevention, said:

‘Community Protection Warnings and Notices are invaluable because they give persistent troublemakers the chance to address their behaviour and potentially avoid criminal action being taken against them. ‘Those who choose to ignore the opportunity and continue to cause harm within their communities are regularly arrested and brought before the courts, where the maximum penalty for breaching a CPN is a £2,500 fine. ‘We do not tolerate any form of antisocial behaviour and will continue to use every power at our disposal, which also includes Criminal Behaviour Orders, dispersal orders, property closure notices and more, to crack down on those who think it is OK to cause a nuisance to others.’