Arrests after youths rampage

POLICE turned central Shepshed into an anti-social behaviour dispersal zone and carried out arrests on Saturday night to avoid the problems experienced the night before.

On Friday night, a gang of more than 20 youths had roamed around the town between about 7pm and 9.30pm banging on doors and windows, shouting – and they were accused to trying to push a rider off their moped.

Police swarmed the area and brought the problems to a halt.

On Saturday night, local officers used their powers to create a Section 35 dispersal zone, giving them the authority to arrest anyone who ignored their instructions to leave the area.

At about 9.30pm, officers in the town announced on Twitter they had identified and arrested one of the “ring leaders” of the group of youths and promised a “great deal of work” was happening to deal with the problem.

The tweet said: “We are aware of ongoing youth issues in Shepshed. We have a youth under arrest this evening that we know is one of the ring leaders of the group. Great deal of work going on in the background to identify deal with the group moving forward.”

At about 10.30pm on Saturday, a sergeant from Charnwood police said there had been a further arrest. They tweeted: “Further arrest in Shepshed of one of the troublesome youths. S.35 ASB dispersal zone also now in place until 10am.”

During Friday night’s trouble, residents gave a commentary of the incidents throughout the town centre on the Spotted Shepshed Facebook group.

People reported the group of about 22 youths being in Glenmore Park, Wightman Close, Anson Road, Cambridge Street, Leicester Road and Britannia Street.