TIME'S UP ON ALCOHOL DISORDER

Sussex Police is giving full support to the national campaign against alcohol related disorder, launched yesterday(15 November) and described as the biggest ever nationwide crackdown against drunken loutishness and rogue licensees.

The Force's own 'Enough Is Enough' campaign was launched by Chief Constable Ken Jones two months ago and moves into top gear next week as new powers in the 2003 Licensing Act come into force (24 November).

Action has been promised on every police division across Sussex with police activity targeted at premises identified as crime hotspots and at bars, clubs and supermarkets illegally selling alcohol to young people.

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The 'Enough' campaign has attracted considerable national interest and Mr Jones says it is already having a huge effect in Sussex.

Statistics now being regularly updated on the Sussex Police website show the extent of 'Enough' activity across Sussex already. To date, there have been 76 arrests for alcohol related offences, 190 people who have had alcohol seized from them by police, 380 police visits to licensed premises, 111 visits to off licences, and 133 checks on door supervisors.

Public place violent crime is currently showing a 10.5% decrease across Sussex - 570 fewer recorded offences - over the past three months.

Launching the 'Enough' campaign, which will run through to the New Year, Mr Jones said that irresponsible elements of the drinks and entertainment industry were fuelling yob behaviour. "The people of Sussex have had enough," he said, "And so have I."

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From November 24 forces will be able to use new powers in the Licensing Act, which

+ expand police powers to close down disorderly licensed premises including entertainment venues, night cafes and take-aways;

+ empower police, residents and others to seek a review of licences, backed by an extended range of measures including limiting opening hours;

+ increase fines and allow personal licences to be suspended for up to six months following conviction for allowing disorderly conduct or sales of alco9hol to people who are drunk;

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+ increase penalties for breach of licence conditions (fines of up to 20,000 or six months prison, or both); and

+ increase penalties (up to 5,000) for selling alcohol to children, with courts able to suspend or forfeit personal licences for a first offence.

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