Dispersal order over gangs of 'intimidating' teens

Police have brought in a dispersal order in a city suburb after reports of large groups of teenagers setting off fireworks, fighting and intimidating residents.

The order in the Everton area of Liverpool, which was initially brought in at 15:00 BST on Monday has been further extended until 17:00 on Friday.

Neighbourhood chief inspector Andrew Fielding said extra powers brought in through the dispersal order had helped to bring the situation under control.

He said officers had used 27 dispersals by Wednesday night and one young person had been arrested, with one breach of the dispersal order.

He said dispersal orders were "effective short-term and then what that does, it allows us to go into some longer term options around problem solving, which involves our youth justice partners, the schools and the parents".

Police have powers under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour & Policing Act 2014 to direct people they suspect are causing or likely to cause crime, nuisance or anti-social behaviour to members of the public to leave a designated area and not return for up to 48 hours.

It also gives officers the power to seize any item, including vehicles, used in the commission of anti-social behaviour.

Labour councillor for Everton, Jane Corbett, said years of cuts to youth services were one of the reasons for an increase in anti-social behaviour.

She said they were "trying to prop up youth services with diminished resources".

But Corbett said Liverpool City Council had "got money coming in now so that will make a difference, but we are still missing that whole network of youth work and youth provision across the area".

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Dispersal order after reports of youths with machetes