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Anger over 'estate from hell' anarchy claims |
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Thursday, 15 November 2007 |
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"THE estate's not perfect but there is a Dispersal Order in place and
many people are working very hard to improve things."
That's the
response of local police who are angry at an article in The People
newspaper on Sunday, which branded Gwavas in Newlyn as the 'estate from
hell' and claimed drunken youths ruled the streets.
A
'robust' letter has been sent to the editor of The People by Chief Supt
Rob Cooper of Devon and Cornwall Police and the local neighbourhood
team leader, Sergeant Richard Hockin, insists that the article paints a
very inaccurate picture.
"There are problems - that's why there
is a Dispersal Order in place - but a lot of people are working very
hard to solve problems which go back a long time and things are
improving," he said.
Sgt Hockin says he was on patrol in Gwavas
for six late shifts around Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night, immediately
after the Dispersal Order was introduced and things were 'very, very
peaceful'.
"We brought in extra resource in case there were problems but it was so quiet that I sent them away," said Sgt Hockin.
"Parents were very responsible and accompanied children on trick or treating, or held their own Hallowe'en and bonfire parties."
Since
the Dispersal Order was brought in, extra patrols have been routinely
patrolling the estate but to date less than 10 people have been
approached by police and told to go home - a figure which compares with
around 40 in the same period last year when the first six month
Dispersal Order for Newlyn was introduced.
And Sgt Hockin
believes problems on the estate date back over 20 years, during which
time "too many difficult people have been put on the estate and then
forgotten about".
Currently he pinpoints many of the incidents
of anti-social behaviour at Gwavas on just two families, which have
been assessed as among the worst in Cornwall.
"We are actively targeting them and looking to provide evidence which will enable them to be evicted," he said.
And
Sgt Hockin urged anyone interested in helping resolve problems in
Newlyn to attend an open PACT (Partners and Communities Together) panel
meeting which is being held at the Newlyn Centre next Tuesday, November
20 at 6.30pm.
"There is a lot of work being done through
Penwith's Anti-Social Behaviour Team, the Gwavas Residents'
Association, youth workers and the PACT panel and ideally we would like
to be in a position where, by mid-January, the Dispersal Order could be
lifted," he added.
"By turning up on Tuesday, you can have your say on what issues need to be addressed."
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN
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