Police op exposes Newport's booze kids (From South Wales Argus)

Police op exposes Newport's booze kids

12:10pm Friday 9th May 2008

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A GIRL of 13 nearly dies after a drinking session, children as young as 12 caught with booze in the street, shopkeers face legal action for selling alcohol to the underages and 40 youngsters are seen drinking and fighting during a police operation - these are Newport's booze kids.

These shocking incidents were revealed as details were given of one of Wales' largest ever crackdowns on underage drinking and antisocial behaviour on the Gaer estate in Newport.

Up to 40 teenagers and a number of traders are now facing legal action.

An on-going joint operation involving trading standards, community safety wardens and Gwent Police followed the intensification of problems with youths and alcohol-related disorder.

It escalated to the point where the 13-year-old needed her stomach pumped twice due to alcohol which was allegedly traced to local shops.

Responding to demand from the community, a major intelligence-gathering operation took place in the past few weeks focussing on the area around Gaer shops, Hillview flats, the community centre, and Dickens Drive.

Community safety wardens carried out covert surveillance where they recorded widespread cases of drink-related disorder.

Footage recorded 65 offences of youths drinking, 60 offences of urinating, 51 cases of under-age purchasing of alcohol, plus numerous breaches of ASBOs and Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs).

There were also two drug offences.

Wardens and police confiscated large amounts of alcohol from youths and during the operation there was a marked decline in offending.

Trading standards officers are now targeting traders believed to be selling alcohol to underage youths, either directly or from adults buying drink for them.

Helen Wilkie, the council's public protection manager, said: "The surveillance footage we have gathered shows the shocking extent of the problems that are blighting the lives of people living in this area."

She explained it was not going to be an isolated operation, and traders selling alcohol to young people should know they were already looking at similar operations in other areas.

Sergeant Martyn Smith, of Newport central neighbourhood policing team, said: "We're determined to tackle irresponsible licensees who betray the very communities they claim to serve."

Home Office statistics showed a third of all young offenders involved in criminal damage and vandalism were under the influence of alcohol, he added.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith yesterday called for stronger action to be taken against young troublemakers.

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