Special anti-social behaviour 'dispersal notice' gives police power to order youngsters to leave Milton Keynes estate

Police are cracking down on anti-social behaviour on the Lakes Estate by issuing culprits with official orders to leave the area.

Children as young as 10 can be returned to their home and ordered to stay there for up to two days.

Following reports of repeat problems on estate, the neighbourhood policing team has obtained a Section 34 Dispersal notice under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act.

It was authorised at 11pm last night (Wednesday) and will remain in place until 11pm on Friday, June 18. And it will cover the entire estate.

The added power will enable officers and PCSO’s to direct a person who has committed, or is likely to commit, anti-social behaviour to leave a specified area and not return for a specified period of up to 48 hours.

The officer must have reasonable grounds to suspect that the behaviour of the person is causing, or is likely to cause, crime or disorder or result in members of the public being harassed, alarmed or distressed..

Section 35 dispersal notices can be used by police officers and designated PCSOs to deal with individuals aged 10 or over engaging in anti-social behaviour or crime and disorder not only when they have occurred or are occurring, but when they are likely to occur and in any locality. A child aged under 16 can be removed to their home address or a place of safety.

It applies to any behaviour, not just alcohol-related crime and disorder.

The move has been met with approval from members of the public. "I don't know why they don't have these powers to use all the time ," said one.