St Radigund's dispersal order

Kent Police and Dover District Council are taking tough action against young people who have been damaging property and causing a nuisance in an area of Dover.

Those living in St Radigund's have complained to police about bricks thrown at windows, young people running on the roofs at Buckland Hospital and other anti-social behaviour.

But from Thursday (10 November 2011) a dispersal order will be in place for the next six months. This gives police officers the power to order people to leave the area if they are found causing intimidation, harassment, alarm or distress. They cannot return to the area within 24 hours and young people under 16 can be taken home to their parents.

Those who ignore the order risk a three month jail sentence or maximum £2500 fine under Section 32 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003.

Over the last six months there have been more than 90 calls made to Kent Police about young people and anti-social behaviour in St Radigund's. Other calls have been made to police about young people, some under age, gathering and drinking in the area and causing a nuisance.

There have also been 60 reports of criminal damage, many of which have been linked to young people in the area and some of those involved in the criminal and anti-social behaviour are thought to be as young as ten.

Sgt Ian Swallow from Dover's Community Safety Unit explained: "It has got to the stage where police need to take further action to improve life for those living in St Radigund's. Taking out a dispersal order is not something that we do very often but we have exhausted other ways of trying to curb the problem in this area.

"Our aim is that these groups of young people will be dispersed by our officers - many of whom will go home without further nuisance behaviour. Those that ignore our advice and warnings risk being put before the courts and being fined or even sent to prison."

Signs explaining the dispersal zone are being put up in the area.