ASBOs for street drinkers
Publication date: Wednesday 17 March 2010
Three men have been banned from a part of Wood Green after anti-social behaviour which affected residents and shopkeepers.
Anti Social Behaviour Orders were granted by Tottenham Magistrates against Mehmet Ali, aged 46 of Talbot Close N15; Paul Banks, aged 46 of High Road, Leyton E10; and Terrence Delacy, aged 58 of Crescent Road, N22.
Action was taken by Haringey Council's Anti-Social Behaviour Action Team (ASBAT) against the three street drinkers who were regularly outside the Morrison's supermarket on Wood Green High Road.
The court heard how the men were seen drinking alcohol and vomiting, fighting with each other, urinating in broad daylight, begging for money and intimidating shoppers and passers-by. Dog fighting was also seen.
Cllr Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said:
"In the past we tried to help these people by diverting them to appropriate voluntary organisations to support them.
"However the behaviour of these men in one of the busiest areas of Haringey was completely unacceptable.
"It's another example of effective close working between ourselves, the police as well as local residents and businesses. We will continue to take action to ensure that this area is free of this kind of activity."
Haringey residents provided the ASBAT with witness statements as to how the behaviour of the street drinkers affected their daily lives and in particular, when waiting to use public transport in the area. Local shopkeepers provided witness statements as to how their business had been affected. CCTV still footage was also used to bring the case.
Mehmet Ali attended court and was issued with an ASBO for three years, preventing him from being anywhere between the library and the Goose public house on the High Road. He was also ordered not to cause alarm or distress in Haringey.
The two other defendants did not attend court and were issued with ASBOs for five years, preventing them from being in the area.
The council's lawyer was instrumental in ensuring that the application was successful by collating the evidence and preparing the pleadings for the proceedings.
Magistrates commended the amount of work which had been presented to the court by the council in support of the applications.
As well as the ASBAT, evidence against the men was also gathered by the council's street enforcement team and the Metropolitan Police's Noel Park Safer Neighbourhood Policing Team.
Further work is currently being undertaken by the ASBAT to deal with other street drinkers who use the area.
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