YOUTHS who cause a nuisance skateboarding on the Poole Quay sea wall and cycling along the pedestrianised High Street should be prosecuted.

The call was made by Borough of Poole leader Cllr Brian Leverett at the area committee meeting after residents complained about anti-social behaviour.

"If you don't enforce regulations, people become complacent," he said.

"A number of prosecutions would get the message across that if you are going to be contemptuous of these laws and by-laws you are liable to prosecution."

He welcomed working with the police and said: "Unless we prosecute this problem is going to grow and grow.

"It's already getting serious."

Cllr Roger Gregory, said whenever he walked along the quay there were kids doing wheelies on bikes, skateboarders using the sea wall and people unable to sit on the seats because of them.

Cllr Chris Bulteel said: "They are a danger to members of the public and damage is being done to a very, very expensive sea wall."

He asked what effect the CCTV was having and said he would support a no-drinking zone along the quay, which would stop glasses being taken away from pubs.

Cllr Bill Wretham said there had been more than 150 arrests last year because of the CCTV.

Sgt Mike Kynaston, town centre beat manager, said officers did issue tickets to offenders.

"It's not something I'm going to target, at the same time if it needs dealing with we will deal with it," he said.

He welcomed enforcement from the council and said they would work with officers.

He also pointed out that the Poole Safe initiative, in which pubs were visited and video-recorded, was helping make them aware of glass safety.

First published: May 9