Monday 17 November 2003 - News - Security
New curbs on 'yobs' set to become law
Heavily
debated tough new measures to crack down on anti-social behaviour
are set to become law.
The Anti-Social Behaviour Bill bans air weapons and replica guns in public places, enables police to close down drugs dens and bans the sale of spray paints to under-18s.
MPs debated Lords amendments today and discussed proposals to allow police to use new powers to disperse groups of people who intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed the public. Anyone who refuses could face up to three months in jail.
The Bill will also give councils power to mediate in disputes between neighbours over high hedges and to order those which block the light to be cut down, despite objections from some Tory backbenchers.
The Bill completed its parliamentary stages and now awaits Royal Assent to become law.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary David Blunkett's plans to let community groups hire beat officers have come under attack. Householders could band together to pay £10,000 for an officer to patrol their area in under the scheme, with the Government paying half of their wages.
Opposition parties seized on the plans as an admission that the Police Service was failing. Shadow Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: "This plan indicates yet again the insufficient numbers of police officers in England and Wales."
Angie Bell
The Anti-Social Behaviour Bill bans air weapons and replica guns in public places, enables police to close down drugs dens and bans the sale of spray paints to under-18s.
MPs debated Lords amendments today and discussed proposals to allow police to use new powers to disperse groups of people who intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed the public. Anyone who refuses could face up to three months in jail.
The Bill will also give councils power to mediate in disputes between neighbours over high hedges and to order those which block the light to be cut down, despite objections from some Tory backbenchers.
The Bill completed its parliamentary stages and now awaits Royal Assent to become law.
Meanwhile, Home Secretary David Blunkett's plans to let community groups hire beat officers have come under attack. Householders could band together to pay £10,000 for an officer to patrol their area in under the scheme, with the Government paying half of their wages.
Opposition parties seized on the plans as an admission that the Police Service was failing. Shadow Attorney General Dominic Grieve said: "This plan indicates yet again the insufficient numbers of police officers in England and Wales."
Angie Bell
