Anti Social Behaviour Order Extended

Youths and windscreen washers targeted

Police and Ealing Borough have agreed to extend an Anti-Social Behaviour Order which includes part of Old Oak Common Lane. The original dispersal order was put in place between 25th Sept last year to combat the issue of Windscreen Washers gathering in this area and trading illegally. It was also aimed at groups of youths who are engaged in street drinking, noise nuisance and shoplifting.

A number of messages on the W3 discussion forum commented on the intimidating youths in a thread started by Catherine Lloyd on February 2nd.

Both the windscreen washers and groups of youths were also engaging in threatening behaviour, intimidation, verbal abuse, harassment of motorists, visitors, local residents and proprietors in the area.

Police commented that some of the individuals involved in instigating and committing the offences do not come from the Acton area.

The powers are derived under Section 30 of the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003. A group is defined as two or more people. To gain the powers the partnership had to show sufficient evidence/intelligence of persistent anti-social behaviour to support the introduction of the dispersal order. The council and the police were also required to be in agreement for this dispersal order to be enforced.

The local Police and the Local Authority have both agreed that there are grounds to believe that members of the public have been intimidated, harassed, alarmed or distressed as a result of the presence or behaviour of two or more persons and that anti-social behaviour is a significant and persistent problem in the below affected area.

Relevant Locality (Savoy Circus A40 and surrounding area)

To include the centre point of the road of Old Oak Common Lane heading West along the A40 to the junctions of Glendun Road and St Andrews Road. Also to include Glendun Road to the junction of Acton Lane, St Andrews Road to the junction of Brassie Avenue, Brassie Avenue from the Junction of St Andrews Road to the junction of Old Oak Common Lane, Sunningdale Avenue in its entirety and the part of Old Oak Common Lane that returns to the A40 and Glendun Court. Also to include all paths, alleys, grassed areas, service roads, ramps and communal stairwells and staircases.

The Police are allowed to disperse groups as defined under Part 4 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 from the above area from March 24th until midnight on September 23rd.

Community and Partnership Superintendent Ian Jenkins of Ealing Borough Police said:

“The previous dispersal order in this area has proved to be effective in reducing incidences of anti-social behaviour motorists and the local community were experiencing.

However, we are happy to extend the order so we can continue to successfully tackle the issues now and over the coming months.

We will continue to work closely with the local community to ensure the area remains a safe and pleasant environment for all.

It is important that people witnessing any anti-social behaviour in the area report it to the police immediately so the appropriate action can be taken against offenders.”

Susan Parsonage, Director for Safer Communities, Ealing Council said:

"We and the police will not tolerate members of the public being intimidated or harassed by trouble makers. This dispersal order has made a real difference to residents and sends a message to those groups who are causing such anti-social behaviour that they cannot get away with making other people's lives a misery."

April 8, 2008