Police have announced a dispersal order covering much of a Welsh market town. In recent months Caldicot has reportedly been plagued by gangs of teenagers threatening people.
The order — which allows police to exclude people from an area for up to 48 hours — started at 7pm on Friday and will last until 7pm on Sunday. It applies to Caldicot Castle, the town centre and nearby residential streets.
Ceri, landlady at the Cross Inn on Newport Road, said around 10 youngsters were involved in aggressive behaviour on Friday night outside the pub. "They were threatening one of our customers for money," she said. "When they saw the police turn up, they walked away and the police followed them.
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"There were a lot more of them involved when it happened on a Saturday night a couple of weeks ago — maybe a couple of dozen if not more. They had parked cars up on Newport Road and they were up in people's faces having a right old go, being threatening and following customers home. It was some of the same ones who were here last night."
Ceri said the youths appear to be aged between 12 and 17, gathering in the town centre as late as 12am. She added that antisocial behaviour was not an issue until the last couple of months but it has started to cause distress to locals.
Elizabeth Hopegood, who works at the Castle pub on Church Road, said: "I only knew about the order because of Facebook. I do see big groups of kids hanging around. I'm from Bristol originally so I'm used to it, but I understand in such a small town it is different.
"It can maybe look a bit intimidating if there are lots of them. When I came into work [at 5pm on Saturday] my bosses said there had been police going up and down the road every hour."
The areas covered by the order include Newport Road, Sandy Lane, Mill Lane, Chepstow Road and surrounding roads. Section 35 dispersal powers mean officers can exclude people from an area for up to 48 hours if they are considered to pose a risk of antisocial behaviour which could cause harassment, alarm or distress. If they refuse to leave they may face arrest. The powers also allow officers to take under-16s away from the dispersal area and to a safe place.
Sergeant Lee Smith-Stephens said: "Anti-social behaviour can have a negative impact on the quality of life of our communities and it won’t be tolerated in Gwent. Our officers are committed to protecting our communities and will take action against anyone intent on causing harm or disorder.
“If you have any concerns about anti-social behaviour, and see us on our patrols, please do stop to talk to us. Alternatively, you can report your concerns by calling 101, or by sending us a direct message via Facebook or Twitter.”
We recently compiled a list of areas in Wales where police have secured dispersal orders this year. Read the list here.
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