People in the town have spoken out over fear of crime and anti-social behaviour in the weeks leading up to Bonfire Night
Residents of Garston say they are living in fear of gangs of teenagers and children
Police officers have been granted additional powers tonight in an area plagued with anti-social behaviour. The ECHO has extensively covered the issues people living in Garston have been facing, with some explaining how they were dreading the lead-up to Bonfire Night.
Now, Merseyside Police has stepped in to curb the anti-social behaviour the town has faced in recent times, as the force introduced a Section 60 Order which will give officers the ability to stop and search people in the street if they are suspected of involvement in criminality or disorder.
The Order, under S60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, gives officers enhanced stop and search powers to stop any male or female, of any ethnicity, over the age of 14 in the entire area of Garston-under-the-Bridge.
Chief Inspector Kevin Chatterton said: “This order is not intended to disrupt anyone going about their lawful business but is intended to deter crime or serious violence.
“The aim, as ever, is to keep the public safe. I hope that the presence of our officers in the Garston area is reassuring, and I would ask anyone with concerns to speak to those officers.”
The ECHO has reported extensively on problems in the area of Garston, known locally as Garston-under-the-Bridge. This is the part of Garston that lies between the railway bridge in Church Road and the River Mersey.
People living there told the ECHO that their lives are being ruined by groups of youths – some as young as six – who are setting fires, smashing their way into homes and carrying knives.
The area known as Garston-under-the-Bridge is being ravaged by anti-social behaviour, according to locals
Describing the area as “lawless” at times, people said they are being intimidated and are terrified to leave their homes as gangs of “feral” kids maraud around, targeting their homes and spreading fear and violence.
Merseyside Police previously said it had been stepping up patrols and targeted action in the area and has shared a number of recent arrests of suspected drug dealers and those carrying weapons.
Speaking ahead of Mischief Night, Halloween and now Bonfire Night, one resident, who asked to remain anonymous through fear of retribution, said: “Everyone is absolutely dreading it. All my neighbours are really nervous.
“There is a nervousness in the area; they set a load of fireworks off the other week – we are worried about what will happen next. What are they going to be like on actual bonfire night?”
“What has made it worse is that these dates have fallen on half term. This means they have got all day to plan stuff and do stuff; it feels like it’s fallen at the worst time.”
“Mizzy Night is just an excuse for the kids to go out and cause trouble; that’s all it is. Last year my road got blocked and they set a load of bins on fire so we literally could not get out of our street. One of my neighbours had a brick through their window as well.”
Anyone with information about criminality and disorder can contact Merseyside Police’s social media desk @MerPolCC on X and Facebook You can also report information via the force’s website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or call 101.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.