Booze fuelled criminals warned they could be banned from Wakefield

Wakefield Police and Wakefield Council have warned that those who think it is acceptable to upset residents and shoppers through poor behaviour or steal from local business should expect to be fined and banned from city and town centres.

‘An absolute scandal’ - Welbeck £1million debt is wiped offIn Wakefield, officers confiscated 700 drinks containers between July 2018 and July 2019, while police and council officers also issued 43 Fixed Penalty Notice fines to persons for alcohol related offences in public.

A total of seven Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBO’s) where issued in the period to offenders in Castleford, Featherstone and Wakefield for offences including shoplifting and drunk and abusive behaviour.

Among those recently issued included a five year CBO given to a Wakefield man in May, banning him from entering 69 Wakefield businesses including clothing retailers, supermarkets, food outlets, a cinema, bars and pubs.

Paedophile former Lostprophets singer found guilty of possessing mobile phone in Wakefield PrisonInitiatives brought in to try and reduce street drinking and the supply of super strength alcohol over the last 12 months have included the use of Smartwater to ‘tag’ cans of super strength alcohol, allowing police to trace beers consumed by street drinkers back to the shops it was bought from.

Instances of anti-social behaviour fell by 62 per cent during the first six weeks of the alcohol tagging scheme, which received support from retailers and was funded by the Wakefield BID (Business Improvement District).

Inspector Helen Brear of Wakefield Central and North West Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We fully recognise the misery anti-social behaviour, and particular drink related anti-social behaviour, can cause and have taken ownership of the problem with our colleagues at Wakefield Council.

Castleford mum-of-four banned from driving for a second time”Together we remain committed to tackling this issue and the numbers of drinks containers seized, fines issues and CBO’s issued speak for themselves."

She added: "The CBO legislation has also proved very effective over the past 12 months and has resulted in the police being able to quickly arrest and charge persons who have been in breach of it.”

Cllr Maureen Cummings, Cabinet Member at Wakefield Council for Environment and Communities, said: “All of our citizens have a right to be able to enjoy our towns and city centre in comfort and peace.

“But there are a few who can make an evening unpleasant for others, I endorse the increased use of CBO’s if that is what is needed to send a strong message and effectively make our town and city centres zero-tolerance and no-go areas for those who behave anti-socially.”