Ban anti-loitering lights that reveal acne, says children’s tsar

PINK lights used to disperse young people from public places by highlighting their acne and anti-loitering sonic sirens that only children can hear should be banned, says the Children’s Commissioner for England.

Anne Longfield told The Daily Telegraph the devices were “cruel and demeaning” as it emerged that increasing numbers are being deployed by councils, businesses and residents to disperse groups of young children congregating in public.

Campaigners and charities say the pink light, which accentuates facial blemishes, preys on teenagers’ worst adolescent fears, while “Mosquito” sirens, which emit pulses of sound that only under-25s can hear, are now being deployed in parks.

There is no regulation on the issuing of either pink lights or sirens, which means there are no records of how widely they are used. Campaigners used Freedom of Information laws to uncover the use of such devices in areas of Scotland despite councils claiming they had not been deployed.

The Children’s Commissioner said: “Mosquito alarms are aggressive and

‘The pink lights play on the worst adolescent fears and insecurities about image and looks’

unpleasant devices which specifically target children.

“I have also been told by children about the use of pink lights, which play on the worst adolescent fears and insecurities about image and looks. Both of these ‘anti-loitering’ tools are cruel and demeaning and should be banned.”

Her comments follow similar demands by Bruce Adamson, the Children’s Commissioner in Scotland, where campaigners have forced Scot Rail to remove mosquito devices from train stations.

A poll found one in seven children (15 per cent) had experienced anti-loitering devices.

Compound Security Systems, which launched the Mosquito in 2006, says it sells up to 50 a month in the UK and up to 150 worldwide to multinationals, betting firms, fast food companies, councils and householders plagued by anti-social behaviour.

Simon Morris, director of the security firm, said “We are seeing increasing numbers being used in parks.

“This is just a benign, non-confrontational, safe way to get kids to move on. You use it once or twice and at that point the kids have got the message and they will disperse.”

He also disclosed that the company is due to launch an updated version of the alarm that can run off a 12-volt battery. This would enable the devices to be deployed in a wider range of areas.