50 per cent of street drinking breaches occurred on Hallowe’en

The alleged offences all occurred in Londonderry city centre and the majority of the alleged offenders were under 25 years of age.

PSNI officers on duty on the occasion of Londonderry’s landmark Hallowe’en celebration booked 25 out of the 53 people thought to have been breaching the bye-law over the entire two month period.

Those booked were cautioned in the Strand Road, Rock Road, William Street, Waterloo Street, Chamberlain Street and Castle Gate areas.

The revelations were made in a report before tomorrow’s Environmental Services Committee meeting at the Guildhall.

The Town Clerk’s report to the Committee is based on information supplied by the City Secretary and Solicitor with regard to alleged breaches of the council’s On-Street Drinking Bye-Law.

The report states: “I confirm that I have received 53 reports of alleged breaches of the Council’s Bye-Law Prohibiting the Consumption of Alcohol in Streets and in Designated Public Places from the PSNI covering the period October/November 2010.”

“Most of the alleged offenders are under 25,” it adds. “Two of them have previously been reported to Council, and two are from outside this jurisdiction.

“The Committee should note that no person under 18 will be reported to the Council by the police for alleged breach of the Bye-Law; instead such person will be dealt with by the police under their Youth Diversion Programme.”

The Committee will tomorrow have to decide whether to prosecute in each case.

The report to Council advises: “The Committee should consider each case on its merits.

“Examples of matters that should be borne in mind by the Committee in deciding how to deal with each case might be the age of the alleged offender, the fact that none have been previously reported and what each replied, if anything, after caution.

“The Community Safety Partnership are presently investigating funding avenues to run an education programme, in partnership with other agencies (statutory community and voluntary), to educate on the damage that may be caused by alcohol consumption.

“If this comes to fruition, details can be provided to all of those reported now and in the future, whatever disposal method is decided upon by the Committee in any individual case,” said the report to Council.