James Cunningham

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Jim Cunningham MP Shares Police Concerns Over Dispersal Orders

Coventry Police and local Councillors this week called for Jim Cunningham MP (Coventry South) to encourage the Government to toughen up Dispersal Orders.

Under the Anti Social Behaviour Act, police can disperse groups from target dispersal areas, for example the Willenhall area of Coventry. Individuals who do not live in the area can be dispersed and are not allowed to re-enter for 24 hours. The Police can arrest the individual who breaches the 24 hour ban. Coventry police have reported many arrests under this legislation.

Mr Cunningham said, “I welcome this power given under the legislation as it prevents groups from reforming as soon as the police have left the scene.

“However as highlighted by Coventry Police, removing from the area for 24 hours is only legal if the individual does not live within the dispersal area.

“Should the individual live in the area, they can simply regroup as soon as police have gone, this is a real weakness in the legislation”.

Coventry police has told Mr Cunningham that the Willenhall dispersal area is a very large area and as a consequence the groups tend to live within the boundaries and fail to qualify for 24 hour dispersal powers of the police.   

Coventry police and local Councillors seek to change the law by strengthening the dispersal powers. Such changes would see police being able to disperse individuals from non-residential areas within the larger target area. A clear example of this would be removing groups from the Willenhall Precinct. Coventry police feel this would be a move welcomed by police all around the UK.

Mr Cunningham understands the frustration of police and local residents of groups simply reforming.

Mr Cunningham said “I want to assist the police and local residents in reducing Anti Social Behaviour.

“Today I have written to Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary to look at this matter and address any weaknesses in Anti Social Behaviour legislation”.