POLICE in Boscombe are targeting unruly groups of youths by ordering them to move on and telling them they will be arrested if they return.

Officers in the town can use Section 30 of the Anti Social Behaviour Act to disperse groups and ban them immediately from a designated area.

The section 30 area in Boscombe came into force on Thursday and takes in Christchurch Road from Crescent Gardens past the Sovereign Centre.

It also includes the Crescent gardens and the precinct as well as Centenary Way and Roumelia Lane.

It enables police officers to order people to leave the designated area and gives them powers to arrest those who fail to leave, fail to leave by a designated route or return within 24 hours.

The first of the orders to move on were handed out in the early hours of Sunday morning following a fight outside the Opera House and separate problems with a group of youths.

Inspector Mark Kelly of Boscombe Police said: "We have got problems with youths congregating in the precinct. We find them hanging around when the Opera House kicks out."

He added: "We used the powers to disperse the youths successfully. Two were arrested for failing to comply with the order."

Section 30 orders were successfully used to disperse groups of unruly youths during the summer months when Dorset Police launched Operation Protect. The operation saw more police officers in town centres at the weekends to curb the level of anti-social behaviour.

An 18-year-old man from West Howe has been charged with breaching a section 30 order and will appear at Bournemouth Magistrates' Court on Monday October 4.

A second 18-year-old from Springbourne was issued with a caution.

First published: September 29