POLICE DRUGS STING NETS CANNABIS PEST

1 March 2006

A ‘cannabis pest’ caught out by a drugs sting in Camden Town, North London, was among three men banned from harassing members of the public, last week.

Derek Thorpe, age 38, of Croydon, South London, was given an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) on Thursday 23 February at Highbury Corner Magistrate’s Court. Camden Council and Camden Police applied for the order to protect members of the public and set boundaries of behaviour.

The court heard how Thorpe was arrested in September 2005 for possession of cannabis after offering ‘skunk’ (a potent form of cannabis) to two plain-clothed police officers in Inverness Street (NW1). He was found urinating in Inverness Street in broad daylight and breached a dispersal notice ordering him to stay out of the area for 24 hours.

The court banned him from Camden Town and from causing harassment, alarm and distress anywhere in the borough for five years. The ASBO comes after a cannabis crackdown was launched in Camden Town in January, targeting dealers and buyers.

Two other men, Colin Johnson (35) and Abdul Mageed (who is believed to be 30) were also given ASBOs last week at Highbury Corner Magistrate’s Court.

Colin Johnson, of no fixed abode, was found smoking crack cocaine in public on a number of occasions including in a telephone box on Broadwick Street, W1. Under the terms of his order he is banned from parts of the London boroughs of Camden, Islington and Westminster associated with drugs. He is also banned from carrying any paraphernalia used for supplying, producing and consuming prohibited drugs. He is allowed to carry syringes and needles with their caps on to avoid the risk of needle sharing. His ASBO will last for two years.

Camden Council Street Wardens alerted the police that Abdul Mageed , of no fixed abode, appeared to be approaching people to sell drugs. When confronted by the police he dropped a bag of cannabis and became abusive. He was also abusive to a Street Warden and threatened to slash a police officer’s face with glass. His ASBO bans him from areas of the London boroughs of Camden, Islington and Westminster associated with drugs. He is also banned from carrying any offensive weapon, being abusive and possessing prohibited drugs and drugs paraphernalia (except a capped empty syringe) used to take banned drugs in these areas* The ASBO will be in place for five years.

Cllr Jake Sumner, Executive Member for Community Safety, Camden Council said: “Camden Council remains committed to improving the quality of life for our residents and setting boundaries of behaviour for the perpetrators of anti-social behaviour. We know people find drug dealing and open drug use in public intimidating. We don’t think anyone should have to put up with it and I’m glad the court has agreed with us. Camden is a great place, and these ASBOs will help us keep it that way. I hope they will also be a wake-up call to the perpetrators.”

Superintendent Martin Richards from Camden Police's Partnership added, "We are listening to the concerns of the community and together with the council, we will continue with these and other tactics available to us to combat drug use and anti social behaviour in and around Camden Town, making the area safer to work and socialise in."

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