'Zero tolerance' on Whitchurch park vandals

Police have vowed to take a "zero tolerance" approach following a spate of vandalism which has marred a beauty spot in Whitchurch.

It comes after thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused to Jubilee Park over the last few months and led to a host of complaints from residents.

Between May and July, two to four calls per weekend were made to police airing concerns over youths drinking alcohol, intimidating residents and causing damage on the park at night.

This led to the launch of a police operation to clampdown on offenders which resulted in officers receiving just four reports for the entire month of August.

Police Constable Scott Smither and Community Support Officers Colin Gordon and Dave Bryant gathered intelligence on persistent offenders and established the majority of problems were being caused by a core group of about six males of between 15 and 23 years.

The team confronted the groups, told them their behaviour was unacceptable and that police would take a zero tolerance approach to those causing a nuisance.

They and members of the Special Constabulary and the Whitchurch Local Policing Team, carried out patrols every weekend during the hours of darkness, when groups causing a nuisance had alcohol confiscated and were moved on.

Councillor Alan Chesters, mayor of Whitchurch, said: "The park was one of the areas with the most reported rates of anti-social behaviour and, thankfully, things seem to have improved.

"Police are putting more time and effort into sorting the problems out while advising the town council of some of the things we can do."