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.