Stunell Says Give Police Powers To Clamp Down On Under-age Drinking

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 29th Oct 2002

Local MP Andrew Stunell is urging the Government to toughen up police powers to confiscate alcohol from under-age drinkers. A loophole in the present law allows only opened containers to be seized leaving underage drinkers with unopened cans still to drink.

Mr Stunell said, " The current state of the law is absolute folly and allows under-age drinkers to run rings around the rules, causing all sorts of damage."

Last week, as part of a deputation of Liberal Democrat MPs to the Home Office, Mr Stunell called on the Government to give police powers to confiscate all containers, opened and unopened in the forthcoming Sentencing and Criminal Justice Bill. He is optimistic that the Bill will alter the rules on street drinking.

"Alcohol consumption amongst 11 to 15 year olds has doubled in the last 10 years. People are scared to go out at night for fear of running in to rowdy and abusive youths. The police must be given real power to tackle this and maintain order in the community."