MORE than 30 people have been moved on by police during the first two weeks of a dispersal order being implemented in Great Yarmouth.

The order – that gives police the power to disperse groups where their presence or behaviour has resulted, or is likely to result, in a member of the public being harassed, intimidated, alarmed or distressed – came into effect on Monday, July 2.

On Wednesday, July 4 officers attended following a call relating to youths congregating in Middle Market car park. Four men, aged from 15 to 24, were advised of the dispersal order and left the area.

On Friday, July 6, after several earlier patrols, police were called to reports of a man and woman drinking in Manby Road. Their alcohol was disposed of and the 38-year-old man and 28-year-old woman were given dispersal orders.

On Saturday, July 7 police attended to reports of street drinkers at 4.25pm and to reports of youths throwing items at properties on Middle Market Road at 7.35pm. On Monday, July 9 patrols were made around 8.55pm and 10.40pm and six men were moved on.

On Thursday, July 12 two 18-year-old men were stopped around 5.40pm, the dispersal order was explained and alcohol disposed of and they voluntarily moved on and on Friday, July 13 police spoke to a group outside a shop there, confiscated alcohol from a 46-year-old man.

On Saturday, July 14 police patrolled the area in the morning and then attended a call from the public around lunchtime and dealt with two street drinkers – a 28-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man - who were given the dispersal order and had their alcohol disposed of.

On Sunday, July 15, 12 people were given orders to disperse. Two men aged 25 and 29 man were found drinking in the street and their alcohol was seized. Two teenagers were taken home under powers given by the order and four others aged between 13 and 18 were also given the order and asked to leave the area. A 55-year-old man was found to be drunk in the area and he was also issued with a dispersal notice, as were two 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old who were found after police were called to the area during the afternoon.

Chief Inspector Stuart Armes, said: “We are encouraged by the feedback we have been getting and will continue to make patrols in the area to try to ensure residents don’t have to put up with anti-social behaviour near their homes.

“To date most of those spoken to have been relatively co-operative and therefore we have not needed to make arrests, however the order gives us the power to take action if anyone doesn’t follow officers’ instructions.”

So far no one has been arrested as all those advised of the order have moved on.

Once issued with the order individuals can be excluded from the area for up to 24 hours and if they refuse to follow the officer’s directions to disperse they will be committing an offence, punishable by up to six months imprisonment and a fine of up to �5,000.