Off licences are targeted in under-age drink crackdown

Police say anti-social behaviour by teenagers is often fuelled by drink bought from off licences - and the force intends to cut off their supply.

Particular troublespots are east Cleveland, Redcar, Grangetown and South Bank, near Middlesbrough.

Shop owners are being warned failure to cooperate in the crackdown on illegal sales could cost them their licences.

Police say there are about 400 off licences in the Langbaurgh division. The number suspected of turning a blind eye to whom they sell drink is "in the lower double figures".

Operations manager Superintendent Dave Horner, said: "Anti-social behaviour over the summer months has dropped by 18 per cent because of extra police patrols.

"But I just cannot keep throwing police officers at the problem, so we are trying a different tack.

"We have identified that when speaking to youths, or if we are called to an incident of anti-social behaviour, there has been drinking, or they have drink with them.

"Youths responsible for anti-social behaviour are mainly under 18 and it is the illegal consumption of drink that leads them to commit actions that bring misery and annoyance to local communities.

"Our operation is designed to cut off that illegal supply of alcohol and reduce problems on the streets. We will work in partnership with proprietors and we will provide support and guidance to staff in off licences, but we will prosecute any person found committing offences in relation to the sales of intoxicating liquor.

"The majority of off licences are complying with the law, but there is a small minority who are selling to adults who are passing it on to under-age drinkers," he said.

All off licences are to be monitored and any refusing to cooperate will face regular visits from uniformed officers and checks with customers to see if staff have made any attempt to ensure alcohol sales have been legal.

Youngsters stopped for drink-related incidents will be questioned about where they got the alcohol.