Teenage girls arrested for attempted assault

Police are stepping up patrols to stamp out youth disorder in a Northumberland town following a string of incidents, including three teenage girls being arrested for attempted assault.
News from Northumbria PoliceNews from Northumbria Police
News from Northumbria Police

The crackdown follows reports of anti-social behaviour at Ashington; in and around the town’s new leisure centre, as well as McDonald’s and Asda.

Young groups have been taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi in the area and are causing disturbances to businesses, the public and motorists, police have said.

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On Monday, three girls aged 14 and 15 were arrested and released under investigation in connection with an attempted assault and a further three were issued with dispersal notices.

A further 19 teenagers have been identified as being involved in causing anti-social behaviour in the town.

Sergeant Mick Aspey said: “This is an example of us taking a robust approach to anti-social behaviour in Ashington. All those identified can expect a visit to their parents from the Neighbourhood Police Team, who will be looking into enrolling them into the Early Help Scheme through the Youth Offending Service.

“The issues we were having there caused a lot of distress for local residents in the area.

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“However, neighbourhood officers covering the area have been very proactive and adopted a zero-tolerance approach to large groups of teenagers gathering in the town centre.

“Together with the local authority, local businesses and residents we can ensure Ashington is a safer place to live and work.”

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Dame Vera Baird QC said: “This is a great example of Northumbria Police listening to the concerns of local people and swiftly getting to the root of issues that are having a negative impact on the local community. I will continue calling for tough and effective action to be taken against those who are responsible for trouble and disorder – it’s not welcome and won’t be tolerated.”

Anyone who wants to report issues of anti-social behaviour should call police on 101.