Anti-social behaviour rockets in Ashfield area through lockdown breaches

Hucknall, Jacksdale, Selston and Underwood saw a 134 per cent increase in anti-social behaviour from 270 to 633 incidents over the last year, according to new figures from the police.
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Nottinghamshire's two busiest late-night drinking hot-spots have seen a dramatic reduction in anti-social behaviour during the Covid pandemic.

With lockdown preventing people from visiting pubs and shops for large parts of the last 12 months, Nottingham city centre saw a 39 per cent drop in anti-social behaviour incidents, while it fell by 17 per cent in Mansfield town centre.

Inspector Mark Dickson, area commander for Ashfield, said that while anti-social behaviour had risen in the area over the last year, it had started from relatively low levels.

Nottinghamshire PoliceNottinghamshire Police
Nottinghamshire Police

"The majority of the increase is down to reporting of Covid legislation breaches, such as people gathering indoors," he said.

"During lockdown people have been staying in their own communities a lot more so that is where more of the incidents have been taking place.

"Whilst people may see an increase of 134 per cent in Ashfield Rural for example as a big rise, it's important to remember this is actually just an increase of 363 incidents over an entire year - so about one a day - and most of these relate to us recording offences that would not have been illegal in the previous year."

Ruddington recorded a 132 per cent increase – from 83 to 193 incidents – and Cotgrave and Wiverton saw a 125 per cent increase, from 119 to 268 incidents.

Meanwhile, breaches of Covid laws, including holding indoor house parties, have led to an average 50 per cent increase in reports of antisocial behaviour across the force.

Anti-social behaviour is one of the few offences to have risen in the year since 1 April 2020 - with total crime across Nottinghamshire falling by a fifth during that period.

This is because Covid legislation created offences that didn't exist before the pandemic, which are now recorded as antisocial behaviour.

The rises in neighbourhoods across the county come as people were urged by the government to stay at home for large parts of the last year.

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