Street boozer banned from Margate town after council legal action

A street drinker has been banned from most of Margate following legal action by Thanet council.

The authority’s Community Safety Team took out a civil injunction to deal with the prolific street drinker who had been causing problems in Margate town centre.

The injunction was awarded on Tuesday 9 May, following an investigation over several months, with concerns raised by the public and councillors.

Thanet County Court accepted the council’s evidence that the drinker in this case should attend residential rehabilitation, engage with support services and be prohibited from setting foot in most of Margate. This includes storing of belongings, drinking, or carrying alcohol and causing a nuisance.

This is the fifth  injunction the team has obtained against individuals guilty of persistent anti-social behaviour since the new injunctions came into force in 2015. They are only used in exceptional circumstances when other means of solving the problem have failed or been refused.

The Community Safety Team also has a number of other applications planned to combat nuisance behaviour by individuals.

‘Action’

Rob Kenyon, Director of Community Services, said: “We would like to reassure Margate residents and traders that action is being taken to combat street drinking and anti-social behaviour.

“At the same time as taking cases to court, we also attempt to address contributing factors to anti-social behaviour. For example, we will continue to point people to the right places to receive help and offer advice. Our Housing Team works closely with support agencies to assist those in need. However, these efforts always need to be balanced against any detrimental impact on the wider community.”

Contact

If you have any issues or concerns over anti-social behaviour, you can contact Thanet District Council’s Community Safety Team directly on 01843 577903 or email [email protected].

All information will be treated in confidence and can be reported anonymously.