People left feeling 'scared and intimidated' by anti-social behaviour

‘Persistent and unreasonable’ anti-social behaviour has left people in part of St Neots feeling ‘scared and intimidated’. People being drunk, urinating in public, and acting in an intimidating way are some of the issues being faced by those living in part of Eynesbury. A Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) has been agreed by Huntingdonshire District Council to make certain actions a criminal offence in order to try and tackle the anti-social behaviour issues.

Anyone who breaches the order could be issued with a £100 fine, or they could be prosecuted and face a potential maximum penalty of £1,000. A report presented to councillors at a licensing and protection committee meeting this week (June 27) said people living and visiting part of Eynesbury were experiencing “persistent and unreasonable anti-social behaviour”.

It said this included public intoxication, public urination and defecation, intimidating behaviour, and camping on public land without permission. Officers said the perpetrators had predominantly been identified as people staying at the Nag’s Head Hotel, in Buckley Street, which is being used to provide temporary accommodation by a number of councils.

Read more: Cambridgeshire County Council hopes new children’s homes will bring down ‘eye watering’ care costs

Read more: Police close Cambs home after anti-social behaviour and 'drug dealing' complaints

The report said: “Some temporary guests of The Nag’s Head have been known to be linked to criminality, which in conjunction with influencing the behaviours occurring at the location, also impacts the perceived lack of safety felt by other members of the public in the area. [The district council] has been working directly with the owners of The Nag’s Head to address issues arising in the area, especially behaviours occurring within the boundary of their premises.”

Officers told councillors that the hotel had taken action and evicted some people whose behaviour had “not been acceptable”. They explained that by imposing a PSPO it would help the district council and police to tackle the anti-social behaviour, both through enforcement and acting as a deterrent.

The order makes a number of actions within an identified area of Eynesbury a criminal offence. Under the order it will be an offence to have an open vessel containing alcohol or another intoxicating substance, and someone will commit an offence if they are believed to have taken an illegal narcotic substance for personal recreational use.

It will also be an offence for someone to camp on public land, or to defecate or urinate in any public place within the order area. Someone will also commit an offence if they act in a way that is considered to be “harassing, alarming or distressing to others” in the area covered by the PSPO. This intimidating behaviour can include aggressive shouting at someone, using offensive language, having a physical altercation, harassing someone in the street, or making excessive noise.

Councillor Stephen Ferguson said people living in the area had told him they felt “intimidated and scared”. He said the members of the public had been “entirely reasonable with their concerns”, adding that he believed the PSPO to be a “proportionate” response at this stage. Cllr Ferguson said closing the hotel would only see those living there moved somewhere else.

The committee unanimously supported the introduction of the PSPO, but asked for an update on its impact to be given to them at their next committee meeting. The order is due to be put in place for three years with the district council planning to review it annually.