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The Paddington Sector Working Group (SWG) for Hyde Park & Bayswater work together with Paddington Police Division and Westminster City Council to secure Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) against persistent criminals.
Starting in 2004, Paddington Division Police, with strong partnership alongside Westminster City Council's Crime & Reduction Unit and the SWG successfully obtained ASBOs against prostitutes who had been operating in the Hyde Park Ward. Community-led evidence collection contributed to having prostitutes banned from any vice-related activity across England & Wales, and specifically excluded the offenders from Paddington W2 for any purpose. The SWG leads the community on using ASBOs. After obtaining recent successful prosecutions on vice and 'lout' youth behaviour in parts of Paddington, SWG Chair, Lynda King Taylor stated,
"We will ensure these civil orders made by the courts will be used to protect the public and our community from behaviour that causes harassment, intimidation, anxiety, anger, distress and, on occasions, despair. We will help the police in any way we are able. Not only to secure information and evidence to obtain a prosecution but also by continuing to give Statements and vitally attending Court as Witnesses whenever needed."
The UK 's Prime Minister Tony Blair recently added: "Anti-social behaviour can ruin neighbourhoods and make life a misery for decent, hard-working families. That is why we have given local communities the powers they need to enforce respect on the streets. ASBOs, Acceptable Behaviour Contracts, Fixed Penalty Notices, dispersal orders, closing crack houses, controlling fireworks, clamping down on graffiti and litter - they can help those that play by the rules beat those that don't. But we must use them."
What are Anti-Social Behaviour Orders?
Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) are statutory measures that aim to protect the public from behaviour that causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
An order contains conditions prohibiting the offender from specific anti-social acts or entering defined areas, and is effective for a minimum of two years. For example, an ASBO may prohibit an offender from associating with other named people or from going near a house where they have caused problems.
ASBOs are civil orders made in court. They can be applied for by local authorities, police forces (including the British Transport Police) and by registered social landlords, but not by members of the public.
They are community-based orders that involve local people in the collection of evidence and in helping to monitor breaches.
The civil status of ASBOs means hearsay and professional witness evidence can be heard in ASBO applications. This is an extremely important feature of ASBOs because those subjected to the anti-social behaviour or those reporting the behaviour can be protected.
Breach of an order is a criminal offence, which is arrestable and recordable.
To find out more on ASBOs and see an anti social behaviour action plan visit http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime/antisocialbehaviour/actionplan/index.html
Lynda King Taylor Chair of the Paddington Hyde Park Sector Working Group (SWG) with police and community representation after agreeing to push full steam ahead with the use of Antisocial Behaviour Orders (ASBOs). Chair said " Whilst most of us can expect to die with no direct experience of rape, murder or armed robbery, the cumulative impact of petty crime and minor disorder is inflicting misery and distress on entire communities across Paddington. The majority of complaints raised at the SWG relate to anti social behaviour ranging from noise nuisance and vandalism to intimidation, aggressive begging, prostitution and drug dealing. The new ASBOs give the police and Westminster City Council (WCC) the ability to act decisively against individuals and gangs in cases which lacked sufficient evidence for a successful criminal prosecution, often because witnesses were too scared to come forward."
Typically, an order - which can be handed to anyone aged over 10 - will ban its recipient from entering a defined location, which can range from a single street in Paddington to all of Westminster, and from associating with named individuals. In consultation with the SWG, police and WCC, ASBOs are being used successfully against youth crime and aggressive prostitutes. Said Lynda "What is also appreciated by our SWG members is that ASBOs are community-based orders that involve local people in the collection of evidence and in helping to monitor breaches. The community therefore feels they are truly contributing to crime reduction, anti social behaviour and improvements in their quality of life."
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