Youth related Anti-Social Behaviour

There has been a spike in reporting of youth related anti-social behaviour from the local businesses and residents in Town Centre area of Weston super Mare.

Officers from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team have been conducting high visibility patrols in the affected areas and following up with the local businesses and North Somerset CCTV. 18 individuals have already been formally identified and partner agencies engaged to determine the plan going forward, so that their behaviour can be addressed.

Further work is ongoing and will include collaboration between North Somerset Community Response, Children Social Services and Youth Offending Service, as well as following up with children’s parents to make sure they are aware of their children’s whereabouts and incidents they are involved in.

Additional resources for high visibility patrols, through Operation HOLD (hot spot policing to tackle anti-social behaviour), have already been secured and there will be more officers patrolling the streets of Weston Town Centre over the next 3 weeks.

Actions

• 2 July 2025
  

  Due to relentless work with North Somerset CCTV, local businesses, ASB team and local schools, all the youths involved in anti-social behaviour and criminality in Town Centre have now been identified.

  1x Community Protection Warning for a child has been issued

  1x Acceptable Behaviour Contract has been agreed and signed

  4x Acceptable Behaviour Contract meetings are scheduled

  3 of the children involved in most serious offences are now considered for Civil Injunctions with a power of arrest. This will be carefully drafted and our colleagues from Youth Offending Service will be consulted prior to the final decision being made. Young persons are allowed to make mistakes and that is why we are trying to control the unwanted behaviour and steer the children away from criminality and anti-social behaviour. However, at the same time we have a duty of care for all the victims and sometimes we have to make some tough decisions that will result in children getting a criminal record, should their behaviour not change and they continue getting into police attention time and time again.

  Police will not tolerate youth related ASB/criminality. Those involved will be dealt with robustly, partner agencies and parents notified.

• 17 June 2025
  

  On 16/06/2025 North Somerset Neighbourhood directorate has welcomed a new addition to our policing family. 8 police constables and 1 sergeant have joined a newly created Neighbourhood Tasking Team. This is a significant boost to the NPT numbers and these officers will be carrying out additional high visibility patrols and dealing with issues that affect our communities the most.

  As part of the new programme focussing on Keeping Town Centres Safe this Summer they will aim to drive down street crime, shop theft and anti-social behaviour in Weston and Portishead Town Centres.

   

  Say hello if you see them out and about and report any policing issues you may be facing.

• 20 May 2025
  

  Additional high visibility patrols are being carried out by Operation HAVEN patrols (hot spot patrols) to tackle anti-social behaviour and youth violence in town.

  Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team officers have been working closely with North Somerset CCTV room and reviewing footage capturing those individuals. Majority has been identified and work is ongoing to address their behaviour. Officers have already delivered multiple ASB warning letters, 4 Acceptable Behaviour Contracts are being drafted and 1 Community Protection Warning has been issued.

  ASB will not be tolerated!

• 22 April 2025
  

  Over the last 2 weeks Neighbourhood Policing Team Officers have been carrying out additional high-visibility patrols in the Town Centre area of Weston super Mare to tackle youth related anti-social behaviour and deter young persons from congregating in large numbers and causing issues to the local businesses.

  Several young persons have been identified and work is ongoing towards utilisation of ASB powers to steer them away from criminality.

• 8 April 2025
  

  Officers from the Early Intervention Team and the Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team have been visiting homes over the past few weeks to inform parents of the children involved in ASB incidents about their behaviour and the consequences that will likely follow if it persists.

  Interventions to address the behaviour of those involved are being drafted utilising ASB powers and high visibility patrols will continue and in the area in order to tackle the youth relates anti social behaviour.