Plea to parents as more than 80 litres of alcohol seized

Police officers have confiscated more than 82 litres of alcohol from underage drinkers in a small area of Rogerstone during just two nights.

Newport West Neighbourhood Policing Team seized the alcohol after responding to 31 reports of antisocial behaviour in the Afon Village area since the new school term commenced. The local officers believe parents may be illegally supplying alcohol to their teenage children, who then go out and cause a nuisance to other residents.

Groups of up to 40 underage youths gather to drink in the Afon Village area at weekends and trouble people living nearby with rowdy behaviour, litter, and disturbances.

On just two Friday evenings last month (September 18th and 25th) officers seized six large bottles of cider, four cans of cider, 71 cans of lager, 101 bottles of lager, and two bottles of strong spirits. Nineteen young people had stop forms issued to them over the two nights. Newport City Council wardens have also confiscated alcohol from groups of teenagers.

There will be further coordinated patrols in Rogerstone and other areas of Newport in the next few months.

Rogerstone ward officer PC Paula Spence said:

“When teenagers drink alcohol on the streets it can lead to them becoming involved in disorder, violence and criminal damage. Some of the youngsters we have stopped told us their parents supplied them with alcohol, which is beyond belief. What we have been told may not be true, but parents need to check if their children are going out and making other people’s lives a misery. We will tackle this issue from all possible angles, targeting not just the children found in possession of alcohol but just as importantly those adults who are supplying them.”

If you have any concerns about underage drinking in your area, please contact Gwent Police on 101 or visit the website at www.gwent.police.uk to find contact details for your local policing team.