AMID growing concerns over vandalism and anti-social behaviour, the SNJ took a further look into the issue, including a night on patrol with the police.

Stroud's new police inspector authorised a dispersal order last weekend in Nailsworth after a spate of vandalism in the town, signifying a step-up in efforts to quell anti-social behaviour.

If an officer believes that a person could cause members of the public to feel harassed, alarmed or distressed, or could cause crime and disorder they can ban them from a specific area for 48 hours.

Stroud News and Journal:

Above - Brian Clifford, Stroud police inspector

Brian Clifford, Stroud police’s new inspector enacted the order after several incidents of vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

He said: “We are aware of the issue with anti-social behaviour in Nailsworth, a lot of people in the town have been working with us to combat this.”

Mr Clifford informed the SNJ that despite the order there had been a break-in at the on Sunday, March 26 which they are thoroughly investigating.

Several people have mentioned that patterns of consistent vandalism and anti-social behaviour were not a new phenomenon to the Nailsworth community, citing similar spates from the 70s and periods in other decades.

Stroud News and Journal:

Above - Steve Lindsay, chief inspector of the county's special constabulary

Steve Lindsay chief inspector of Gloucestershire’s Special Constabulary has been working with the specials for 22 years and is well known in the community as a friendly face as well as an officer, he said: “We’ve tried the softly-softly approach but now it’s time to start putting these people through the courts.

“There are some decent people who will engage with the police.

“Once you get some people behind bars it sends a message – and it is working.

“Everyone has to take responsibility.

“If there are more reported cases then we have more cause to me given further resources, for us to be given consent to enact these measure we must have evidence. If people don’t report then we can’t build a case.”

Rowdy youths were dispersed from outside a restaurant in George Street on March 2, young people were seen causing damage to the bus station and taunting a passer-by on March 6 and being abusive to staff and customers on March 7.

Two young people believed to be 10 and 14 were seen smashing the glass doors to Tesco Express on Saturday, March 25 – despite the dispersal order, the same store which three young people stole crates of beer from on March 9.

Stroud News and Journal:

Above - The parameters of the dispersal order put in place from March 24-26.

While out on duty with the police on Friday, March 24 Mr Lindsay displayed in-depth knowledge of who the trouble-makers were – a very narrow few in a widely respectable community – which places they chose to frequent and efforts police had undertaken to disperse them such as increased CCTV.

There are still options open to Nailsworth’s youngsters, the town’s youth club remains a safe place throughout the week, with separate nights for differing age groups – young people are encouraged to attend and let off some steam but will be held accountable as the adults they will soon become.

One young person, who shall not be identified, spoke to Mr Lindsay and the SNJ while on patrol, they said they had left their former ways behind, choosing to join a new group of friends and lead a different life.

Mr Lindsay informed the SNJ that a few months ago this encounter would have been a much different story, he believes all young people with bad habits are able to change their ways given the right guidance and motivation.

Two groups of young people at Nailsworth’s skate park and later near Stratford Park in Stroud spoke openly with the special constabulary’s chief inspector, reassuring him that they would take away any litter and keep music to a respectable level – though Mr Lindsay declined to demonstrate his skate-boarding talent.

Stroud News and Journal:

Above - Stroud district councillor Steve Robinson (Lab, Nailsworth)

District Councillor Steve Robinson, a retired Youth Worker with 50 years-experience, said that this situation has been going on for far too long.

“It must be wrong when a local trader dreads opening his business because of the stress of confronting this group of young people. “The softly-softly approach is no longer appropriate.”

A dispersal order, like the one put in place March 24-26, falls under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

In connection with this Section 35 of the same act allows officers to hand out ‘directions to leave locality’ in that given area, failure to comply can result in a Level 4 fine (£2,500) and/or three months imprisonment.

Although people under the age of 18 cannot be imprisoned.

Dispersal orders cannot be deployed on a regular basis as this would infringe basic human rights to gather in public places and could be perceived as imposing a community curfew.

Stroud News and Journal:

Above - The Reverend Mike Smith of St George's Church in Nailsworth

The Reverend Mike Smith of St George’s Church in Nailsworth told the SNJ: “We encountered a lot of vandalism last summer where a lot of windows were smashed, and the grounds are often used at night-time for young people to gather, I’ve spent a fair few mornings clearing the mess left behind.

“It’s sad really because we know a few of these youngsters as they pass through our schools.

“Often when I’m clearing up the mess in our grounds young people have stopped to help me clear up.

“It’s difficult, a lot of these people come from different backgrounds, not that that is an excuse.

“It is a shame that police are having to get involved, and many of these people are too young – police can’t be locking them up.

“We as a community need to engage them.

“We try to help by running sports clubs in summer to engage them in activities.

“Often their background is where they come off the rails, without a solid base at home we would all lose our way and go off the rails.”

Eight measures have been brought in by police to approach the issue, these are:

  • Police patrols every evening
  • Increased dedicated police patrols under Operation Loggia every Thursday/Friday/Saturday in identified key periods and including special constabulary
  • Investigations being led by dedicated police officer
  • Nailsworth ASB working group set up by police to tackle issues involves (last meeting February 28 - next meeting April 6): Nailsworth Town Council (Mayor Jonathan Duckworth) , SDC neighbourhood wardens, ASB team, Nailsworth Youth Club, SDC Cllr Steve Robinson, The Door Project, Youth Offending Team, Families First Plus, Fire Service and the Aston Project
  • Three weeks of police engagement to try to understand the group dynamics and guide future engagement by outreach professionals
  • Nailsworth Youth Club and The Door to begin a program of outreach work in Nailsworth in March.
  • A group member has had a Criminal Behaviour Order issued by the court and is being supported by YOS.
  • Mobile CCTV possibly being installed in the town centre.
  • Stroud News and Journal:

The damage caused to Tesco Express on Saturday, March 25

A police spokesman said: “Anti-social behaviour in Nailsworth has been something we have been working hard to address over the last year and we recognise it is causing real distress to local people.

“There are a group of around 12 young people involved with four or five particularly difficult individuals amongst them causing the majority of problems.

"While a relatively small group they are obviously causing enormous disruption to the quality of life for many people.

“We recognise this as a priority for the Stroud area and have plans for all our assets, including the special constabulary, who have been doing an excellent job in the area over the last few months, to work with partner agencies to tackle the issue from every angle.”

Many members of the Facebook group Nailsworth Chat & Information have lent their voices to the debate, with most agreeing that it is only a small group of people responsible for the recent spate of incidents with the emphasis on not tarnishing all of the town’s youth with the same brush.

A spokesman for Stroud District Council said: “We are working with the police, Nailsworth Town Council and other partners to reduce the impact of the vandalism on the local community.

“SDC have fitted two CCTV cameras in Nailsworth town centre and one at Lawnside which are all linked to the Stroud Police station.

“Our neighbourhood wardens have been working closely with Nailsworth town council, have visited Nailsworth shop keepers and undertaken extra patrols in the area.

“We are now exploring other options available to us.”

Stroud News and Journal: