Anti-social behaviour sparks police crackdown

POLICE are battling anti-social behaviour in Shaw after numberous complaints from residents.

Operation Panang aims to disperse large groups of youths causing disruption by smoking cannabis, drinking alcohol, throwing stones and being rowdy.

PC Rob Fitzgerald and PCSO Alex Hoey say they have already noticed a significant difference in the amount of disorder involving youths in the town since they began monitoring the situation closely.

They hope to reduce problems further by visiting residents affected and regularly patrolling hot-spot areas.

The Chronicle joined the officers and four special constables as they patrolled problem areas including Elizabeth Grove, Market Street, Dunwood Park, Holy Trinity Church and Crompton Library.

One resident in Elizabeth Grove labelled the behaviour of youths where she lives as “disgusting”, adding: “They’re always outside swearing, smoking cannabis and spitting everywhere.

“You can’t confront them because they have no respect.

“Some seriously ill people live here and they don’t need this.”

Tracey Mansfield, who runs 1st Shaw Beavers at the scout hut close by, reported that around six youths — one of whom is known to police — had been on the roof of the centre, smashing whiskey bottles and later, threatening residents with large wooden poles.

Police identified the culprit on a photograph, tracking him down later in the evening at Shaw Youth Centre, where he was given a final warning.

PC Fitzgerald also told him he was lucky to escape a civil trespass prosecution from a company premises where he was caught on CCTV throwing stones at the windows and warned him that police would be looking for ways to lock him up from now on.

At Holy Trinity Church, initial plans are being discussed to fence off a problem area, where youths hide and take drugs and have also damaged a wall.

Police also spoke to youths who were hanging around in a park off Westway.

One Year 10 boy said: “We sit in the park because it’s warm. I know why people think there is a problem. Most of the kids are a nuisance. They throw stones and stuff. It goes on all over Shaw.

“But there’s nothing for us to do. A skatepark or a gym would be good.”

Others denied causing problems. A 14-year-old girl said: “Someone saw me and my boyfriend in Queen Street Park and they rang police and say we were doing drugs. We weren’t.