100-plus youths set off fireworks in town park
POLICE say more than 100 youths gathered in Llanelli’s People’s Park, setting off fireworks.
It led to officers issuing a Section 34 dispersal order which also covered Burry Port, Llanelli town centre and the Swiss Valley Reservoir areas.
At around 5pm on Tuesday, Dyfedpowys Police received reports of youths causing general antisocial behaviour in the Llanelli park, including using fireworks, the sale of which is banned at this time of year.
The Section 34 order was authorised to disperse the crowd and give officers the power to force people who had committed, or were likely to commit, antisocial acts to leave a specified area. Dyfed-powys Police has said it is also gearing up for an operation to prevent large groups of youths gathering along the Carmarthenshire coastline, including Burry Port which is covered by the dispersal order.
The force’s neighbourhood policing teams will carry out high visibility patrols with partners, including British Transport Police and Carmarthenshire Council, to try to stem a problem that has blighted some communities in recent years.
Crowds of around 100 children and young people have descended on small coastal towns during that period. There has been recent issues with this in Burry Port.
Problems have included underage drinking, running across railway lines while under the influence, anti-social behaviour and causing a nuisance locally, with a large amount of litter left behind.
Inspector Dawn Fencott-price has appealed to parents to know where their children are and what they are up to.
She said: “This is an important issue to our communities, with large gatherings and disturbances having a negative effect on the lives of people locally. Last year young people were travelling by train and consuming alcohol, with some trespassing on railway lines, which could have ended tragically.
“We really just want parents to know where their children are and what they are doing. Last year saw a large amount of alcohol being seized, some of which had been taken from the home address. We want youths to be safe and to understand the impact of their behaviour on the wider community along the Carmarthenshire coastline.
“Last year, dispersal orders were put in place across Llanelli and Burry
Port, as well as another in Ferryside, giving police the powers to move anyone believed to be causing a nuisance, harassment or distress out of the area. One boy who was detained became abusive towards officers and could not be reasoned with.
“Officers had no choice but to arrest him for his own safety and to prevent further offences from being committed. Such behaviour goes beyond groups of young people meeting to have a good time and puts people in highly dangerous situations.
“We will continue to put plans in place over the summer to deal with antisocial behaviour, using all powers available to us to put a stop to it.”