Anti-social behaviour injunctions secured in New Wortley

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED ON BEHALF OF SAFER LEEDS, LEEDS CITY COUNCIL AND WEST YORKSHIRE POLICE

Injunctions have been served on six people banning them from a Leeds council estate as part of ongoing work to tackle problems in the area.

The group of males, aged 18 to 27, were last night (26/10) served with interim injunctions as part of action by Leeds City Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team (LASBT) and West Yorkshire Police to address issues on the Holdforths estate in New Wortley.

The civil orders, which were granted at Leeds County Court, ban the group from entering or remaining in a defined area covering the estate; associating with named individuals within the area; contacting a number of named individuals, either directly or indirectly or through any electronic means such as social media; using threatening or abusive language to anyone in the Leeds area; and using or threatening unlawful violence to anyone in the Leeds area.

The orders carry a power of arrest if any of the conditions are breached.

The move builds on work that LASBT and officers from the Inner West Neighbourhood Policing Team have been carrying out following a number of incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour that have been impacting on the lives of residents in the area.

The area has had long-standing issues with anti-social behaviour but these have seen an increase in recent months with the group that have been subject of the injunctions involved in much of it.

Earlier this month a number of people were arrested following disorder in Holdforth Place where residents’ fences were pulled down to make a fire and firefighters were attacked. Five people remain on police bail while police enquiries continue.

Wellington Stores, in Holdforth Place, was the subject of a closure order in July after it had become a focus for incidents of drug dealing, drug use, assaults and anti-social behaviour.

A group of up to 30 people had been involved in disorder around the shop which saw police officers and their vehicles pelted with bricks and bottles. A dispersal order was put in place and a number of people were arrested and charged with offences.

Further closure orders have been made on a number of homes on the estate with links to those involved in causing problems.

Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s executive member with responsibility for Safer Leeds, said: “We are pleased to have secured these injunctions, which hopefully sends a strong and clear message that such incidents of anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated.

“We also hope taking this action will provide reassurance to local residents that the council and the police are working together to tackle these issues and will continue to provide ongoing support in the area as appropriate. We would encourage anyone who is aware of anti-social behaviour happening in their area to report it or provide information to the Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team.”

Inspector Simon Jessup, who heads neighbourhood policing in the area, said: “These injunctions will be a valuable addition to the work we have been doing to improve the situation for residents in the area. They carry a power of arrest and we would encourage residents, who will know who these individuals are, to report any breaches of the conditions.

“The behaviour we have seen in this area has been completely unacceptable I want to reassure residents that we will continue to work hard alongside our council colleagues to keep improving the situation. My officers will be continuing to mount increased patrols of the area to monitor the situation and we will continue to take positive action to reassure the community.”

To report anti-social behaviour call your local neighbourhood policing team via 101 or Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team on 0113 222 4402.