A first Drinking Banning Order (DBO) has been issued for the Forest Heath District at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates Court on Friday September 3, after a joint application by Suffolk Constabulary and Forest Heath District Council.
Civil DBOs came into force in 2009 and work in a similar way to Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. A DBO can be made against an individual aged at least 16 if they have engaged in criminal or disorderly conduct while under the influence of alcohol, and the court considers that such an order is necessary to protect persons from further conduct by them of that kind.
Police and local authorities can apply to magistrates or the county court for the imposition of a DBO on an individual. Prohibitions may include whatever the court considers necessary to protect others from alcohol-related crime or disorderly conduct of the individual, for example preventing an individual from entering licensed premises in general or banning an individual from pubs and clubs in certain locations.
DBOs can last for between two months and two years. Offenders who breach a DBO will be liable to a fine not exceeding £2,500. There is no custodial penalty for breach of a DBO.
Today a 24 year old man from Newmarket became the subject of a DBO. He must not enter any licensed premises in Newmarket town centre for the next 12 months and was also ordered to pay costs of £1,000.
Forest Heath Safer Neighbourhood Team Inspector Neil Ireland says, "I am pleased that by working together with our partners at Forest Heath District Council, the first Drinking Banning Order has been implemented in this area following alcohol-related disorder in our town centres. The misuse of alcohol can lead to anti-social behaviour or crimes being committed, and can impact not only upon the friends and family of the individual but also on the wider community. As DBOs are specifically designed to protect people from the recipients’ criminal or disorderly behaviour, today’s ruling should be reassuring for the public and reinforce the right to enjoy a night out and generally live without fear of alcohol-related violence or intimidation by a minority. The recipient will also get the chance to address his behaviour through intervention and education so I believe that such orders are positive for all concerned."
A spokesman for Forest Heath District Council added, "We worked hard to secure the funding to take this initiative and we are pleased to have worked with Suffolk Police to make the district a safer place.”
And meanwhile a Lancashire man has been banned from possessing an opened container of alcohol in all public places in the borough of Fylde, excluding on-licensed premises, after being given a Drinking Banning Order (DBO).
Officers applied for the civil order to be placed on 22-year-old Ricky-Lee Mynott of Porter Street East, Wesham, after he committed a catalogue of offences while drunk.
PC Andy Scarisbrick, Community Beat Manager for Freckleton, said: "I have known Mynott for a number of years and he is an approachable young man when he is sober but unfortunately, when he has a drink, his behaviour changes.
"He has been involved in numerous incidents of drink-related anti-social behaviour and incidents of violence. This banning order sends out a firm message that such behaviour will not be tolerated."
Mynott has been convicted of three counts of drunk and disorderly behaviour over recent years, which have involved him fighting, being aggressive and causing damage.
The order was given to Mynott at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, August 26.
Mynott was originally given an interim DBO on 30 July, which was pending the application of the full order.
The full order will remain in place until January 2011.
If he breaches the conditions of the order, Mynott is liable to a fine of up to £2,500.
And in West Mercia Police area, Herefordshire Magistrates have issued a drink banning order against a local man, William Carr, 39, of Henry Street, Ross-on-Wye. The order was issued on Monday 23 August.
If William Carr breaches the order he can be arrested by the police and be fined up to £1,000.
William Carr has a full order that prohibits him from entering any licensed premises with an on licence. This means virtually all of the pubs and clubs in Ross-on-Wye and the local policing team are informing those premises. The order for him means he is not to be drunk and disorderly in a public place that covers the whole of England and Wales. The total order is in place until 22 August 2011. He can go into off licences such as corner shops or supermarkets.
Police Licensing Officer Jim Mooney said: "This is the first application made by the police in Herefordshire for a drinking banning order. West Mercia Police and its partners in Herefordshire are committed to dealing with all aspects of drink-related anti-social behaviour and disorder that directly impacts on the lives of our communities and businesses throughout the county."
And Herefordshire Magistrates issued a drink banning order against Shane Johns, aged 19, of Belmont Road, Hereford. The order was issued on Monday, September 6.
If Johns breaches the order he can be arrested by the police and be fined up to £1,000. Johns has previously been given an interim drink banning order which excluded him from entering virtually all licensed premises in the Hereford City Centre area.
A full drinking banning order has now been issued for two years. It is valid until September 2012.
His bad behaviour which resulted in this court hearing is as a result of his conduct in and around Hereford city centre.
Mr Johns is prohibited from entering premises with an on licence (pubs and clubs) within a specified area in the Hereford city centre. In addition he is prohibited from using abusive or threatening words or behaviour towards any emergency services including the police, any hospital staff or any door staff at any licensed premises. He can be arrested if he breaches this order.
Police Licensing Officer Jim Mooney said: "This is the second application made by the police in Herefordshire for drink banning orders. West Mercia Police and its partners in Herefordshire are committed to dealing with all aspects of drink-related anti-social behaviour and disorder that directly impacts on the lives of our communities and businesses throughout the county."
The Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, allows the police to deal with those members of our communities who fail to curb their drinking behaviour and change their ways. The use of this act is seen as a last resort when challenging behaviour through other methods such as direct involvement with the PCT Community Alcohol Service and the civil Herefordshire Against Night Time Disorder group.
Johns has been involved in a significant number of drink related disorder incidents in and around Hereford city centre. He has acted in a verbally threatening and abusive manner towards accident and emergency staff, paramedics, licensed premise door staff, members of the public and police officers.
Mr Mooney said: "Certain people, in particular a minority among the younger members of our community, must learn to curb their behaviour and act in a responsible way that allows others to enjoy pubs, clubs and open spaces in the county. The man who is subject to this order has had the opportunity to change and has failed. His behaviour has been unacceptable for a long time."
"Others who act in a similar way are put on notice that West Mercia Police will use this and other legislation to make our communities safer for all."
