Dispersal order issued for Blackwood town centre

A dispersal order is in place in Blackwood town centre to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The order came into effect at 11:00am on Wednesday 27 October and will be in place until 2:30am on Friday 29 October.

It covers the area shown on the map below and includes Blackwood town centre, Blackwood bus station, the marketplace, McDonalds, KFC and surrounding stores.

Source: Google Maps

Cliff Road, Hall Street, Bridge Street, Gordon Road, Coronation Road, Pentwyn Avenue, Sunnybank Road (including gravel lane), Wesley road, and Blackwood retail park are also covered by the order.

The order gives officers extra powers to direct groups to leave the area if their behaviour is likely to contribute to disorder or cause harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public.

If they return to that area after being moved on, they face being arrested.

The order was put in place following reports of large gatherings and disorderly behaviour in the town centre on Tuesday 26 October.

Inspector Andrew Boucher said: "Protecting communities and tackling anti-social behaviour is a priority for Gwent Police.

"This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and we'll continue to take action against anyone causing disorder and harm in our communities.

“As we head into the Halloween period, we’d ask that parents ensure they know where their children are at all times, particularly while the dispersal order is in effect.”