News and Events 

Banbury man become the first in England and Wales to receive a drinking banning order

Friday 04 December 2009, 3:33pm

A 24-year-old man was today (4/12), given a drinking banning order by North Oxfordshire Magistrates — the first of its kind in England and Wales.

Ryan Kane of West Bar Street, Banbury, had the order placed on him by the court after he repeatedly breached a banning order imposed on him by participating members of the Banbury Pub Watch scheme.

It marks the first time a drinking banning order has been used in England and Wales since the new measures came into force on 1 September.

The court heard how the Pub Watch scheme, managed by local licensees, had barred Kane from entering any of the participating premises in Banbury for over three years because of harassment and intimidation of staff and customers.

Pc Terry Paxton, anti-social behaviour co-ordinator for the Cherwell local policing area, said: "Mr Kane has for a long time been causing a nuisance to landlords, pub staff and customers.

"This court order emphasises the importance of the Pub Watch scheme and shows they now have the power to take action.

“Behaviour of this type will not be tolerated in Cherwell and shows people that we will take measures to ensure residents can enjoy an evening out without being abused or harassed.”

The drinking banning order also comes into effect during the Force-wide Operation Confidence initiative, a crackdown on anti-social behaviour in the Thames Valley region.

Cherwell District Council's portfolio holder for PR and communications, Councillor Kieron Mallon, said: "The council will use any available tool it can to crack down on anti-social behaviour caused by excessive drinking - including new legislation.

"We will work hard with our partners at Thames Valley Police to make sure residents and visitors to our town centres are not faced with drunken and rowdy behaviour."

After Kane breached his banning order more than 40 times, Thames Valley Police took the issue to Banbury Magistrates' Court which issued a two-year Drinking Banning Order under the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006.

During that time, Kane is prohibited from entering pubs or clubs, buying alcohol from any licensed premises, being involved in anti-social behaviour while under the influence of alcohol or having unsealed alcohol containers in any public place in Banbury.

Kane will now have the opportunity to seek help from a Home Office-approved course designed to assist people with alcohol related issues. If he completes the course successfully, he can ask to have the period of his drinking banning order reduced by the court. But if he breaches the order it becomes a criminal offence.

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: “Tackling alcohol-related crime and disorder is one of our top priorities and I am delighted to see local authorities making full use of the tools and powers we have provided.

“These orders will not only stop the type of behaviour that disrupts communities and ruins lives, it will also force offenders to face up to their actions and change.

“Alcohol-related violent crime has fallen by a third since 1997 and drinking banning orders send out a clear message to irresponsible drinkers — we will not tolerate your behaviour and if you do not do something about it, you will face some very real consequences.”

Oxfordshire Communications Team
(01865) 266030