Outcry as parents drop off kids at Ebbw Vale park with booze (From South Wales Argus)

Outcry as parents drop off kids at Ebbw Vale park with booze

12:20pm Friday 28th September 2012 in News

PARENTS have been seen dropping off their children with alcohol at a Valleys park, police say.

Now officers are warning shop owners, parents and family members that supplying alcohol to under-18s is a criminal offence after complaints that more than 100 under-age drinkers have been making residents’ lives a misery.

Gwent Police say they are clamping down on youths congregating in Glyncoed Park, Ebbw Vale, after a flurry of reports over the last four weekends that children have been swarming into the park in the evenings, drinking and indulging in anti-social behaviour.

Police also said that they had received reports that parents were seen dropping their children off at the park with alcohol.

Ebbw Vale sergeant Julie Pearse said: “With the increasing use of social networking sites to inform each other of where groups of friends will be during the evening we are now seeing large groups of children forming around the park, which can be extremely intimidating for residents.

“On one evening we had reports of over 100 youths, clearly in possession of alcohol and acting in an anti-social manner, causing alarm and distress to local residents, which is unacceptable.”

Letters are now being delivered to parents about their children’s behaviour and individual children have been spoken to by police.

“We’d like to remind shop owners, parents and family members it is against the law to supply under- 18s with alcohol – if you are caught supplying alcohol you will be fined,” Sgt Pearse said.

● Are you a resident affected by the anti-social behaviour? Call Will Bain on 01633 777242 or email will.bain@southwalesargus.co.uk