Police ‘dispersal order’ in place this weekend in Holywell Town Centre to combat anti-social behaviour

North Flintshire policing team have implemented a Dispersal Order in Holywell Town Centre this weekend in a bid to crack down on increasing anti-social behaviour. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Section 35 order came into force at 8pm on Saturday and is in place until midnight (Sunday, March 15) ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Police say the Dispersal Order is in response to “numerous complaints from the community and local business.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Officers and designated PCSOs will be able to ask a person to leave an area and not return for up to 48 hours, the direction can be given to anyone over the age of 10. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Police will be able to return children under 16 years of age home or to another place of safety, if they are behaving anti-socially and are not accompanied by an adult, failure to comply with the Dispersal Order is a criminal offence. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

A spokesperson for North Flintshire police said on their Facebook page: ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Due to recent escalation in antisocial behaviour in Holywell Town Centre a dispersal order has been authorised, this will be in place from 20:00hrs tonight Saturday 14th March until Midnight on Sunday 15th March 2020. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

This will give officers the power to direct persons away from the area specified during this time. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

If anyone who has given a direction to leave returns to the area they may be subject to prosecution or even arrest. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

This order has not been taken lightly and is in response to numerous complaints from the community and local business.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Anyone who fails to comply with the order could be arrested and, if convicted, receive a sentence of up to three months imprisonment. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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