Court days spark anger

Defendants waiting outside a Mid Wales court are "intimidating" customers leaving many elderly people too afraid to go out angry shopkeepers said today.

Businesses in Severn Street, Welshpool, are now calling for an increased police presence on Tuesdays, when Welshpool Magistrates Court sits.

Les Oliver, of Oliver's Value Centre, said: "I have been calling for an increase in police presence because people tend to gather outside the court and drink cans of beer.

"It is very intimidating for customers who come along the street and I wouldn't be surprised if some were too scared to come down on Tuesday mornings.

"On one occasion they took one of the footballs outside the shop and started having a kick about with it."

Gordon Brooks, of Brooks Cycles, said: "They were evacuated and as there is no fire assembly point they gathered outside my shop and one of them stole a bike," he said.

"It is not nice. They are all drinking and smoking and it doesn't reflect well on the town at all."

Sian George, Dyfed Powys Police spokeswoman, said officers had set up patrols last Tuesday to monitor behaviour and it would continue next week.