by SIMON COUGHLIN and REBECCA CHARD

CHILDREN could be banned from play areas at night in an attempt to crack down on groups of rowdy youths plaguing local estates.

Powers under the new Antisocial Behaviour Act allow police to pick up and take home anyone aged 16 and under found in designated areas between certain times.

Hampshire County Councillor for Aldershot South Mike Roberts has written to Insp Sharon Petherbridge to ask whether police should follow the lead of other forces and use curfew zones.

“I have had a lot of complaints from residents about antisocial behaviour in and around play areas,” said Cllr Roberts who represents Aldershot’s Heronwood ward. He cited play parks in Aspin Grove and Sheridan Close as particular problem areas.

He added: “This has been happening mainly late at night and often involves underage drinking. It is particularly prevalent at this time of year because of the long summer nights.

“The solution is identifying these people who are causing a nuisance for local people and using powers under the Antisocial Behaviour Act to take action.”

Last year Nottinghamshire Constabulary became the first force in the country to set up curfew zones to combat youths causing trouble in crime hotspots and rundown areas.

The action was taken because 70% of calls to police involved reports of nuisance behaviour by youths congregating outside homes and shops, often shouting and swearing at passers-by.

Aldershot police are currently running Operation Dovetail, a six-month project aimed at curbing crime and antisocial behaviour in the town centre and Manor Park areas.

But Cllr Roberts said that while he welcomed the new powers available to police, parents needed to take more responsibility for their children.

“The authorities and different agencies can only do so much,” he said. “There are often children as young as eight or nine years old out late at night. That simply should not be the case.

“Many parents do not realise there are powers available to the police to take action against them if they fail to do so.”

Deputy council leader, Conservative Peter Moyle, said Rushmoor Council was prepared to take tough action against persistent offenders, but warned the problems needed to be evaluated before rushing into action.

“Antisocial behaviour is the curse of modern living,” he said. “It is happening all over the country and it has to be curbed. Lots of areas are being targeted through our police, the community and park wardens.

“We are trying out a number of measures to see if they work.

“Let’s wait and see if they work. When we find what works we will then reinforce it.”

Lib Dem leader Cllr Craig Card said he was not against the principle of curfew zones. He sited King George V playing fields in Farnborough as a potential site for a curfew zone. “You can’t look at it as a blanket ban,” he said. “You have to look at each play area on its own merits. Where there is a specific problem take specific action, but if not don’t brand all areas in the same way.”

But fellow Lib Dem councillor Peter Sandy, of Heronwood ward, was concerned the courts were not handing offenders sufficient sentences.

He said: “It seems to me that no matter how hard the police try to solve this sort of problem, when the case comes to court judges and magistrates are not giving the offenders the punishment they deserve. Antisocial behaviour will continue to be a problem unless the courts take firmer action. The sentences should be a deterrent and not let people off with a slapped wrist.”