Children could face city's anti-social fines

Police are called out to reports of children throwing stones and bottles at houses at night

Fines could be handed out to children as young as 10 to curb anti-social behaviour as a city’s council admits “nothing is working”.

A Liverpool City Council report said “very young children” were often left unsupervised outside late at night in parts of the Toxteth area of the city.

It said anti-social conduct included “throwing stones and kicking footballs at doors and windows, along with abusive and intimidating behaviour”.

The local authority is considering a public space protection order (PSPO) which would be effective for three years and allows officials to deal with breaches through issuing fines.

A student who was quoted in the report said they had been accommodated in the area around Whittier Street and Smithdown Road and had developed alopecia due to the stress of living there and “bottles being shot at our window”.

Overcrowded housing

The student commented: “This has been the worst experience of my life. I’m nearly being sick writing this - it has affected me that much.”

The report, which is due to be discussed at a council meeting on Friday, said there had been “large gatherings in the streets until late at night, being very noisy and sometimes drinking, loud music being played from houses and cars also into the night”.

There was poor street lighting and “poorly maintained and overcrowded housing”, it said, adding: “It is now apparent that the current interventions alone are not working.”

A total of 13 Acceptable Behaviour Contracts have been issued to children in the area already- some as young as 10 years old - with the council’s report saying “nothing is working”.

It added: “That is why we need this PSPO.”

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, who represents the area, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the PSPO would be "a measure being used alongside a number of others to help the police and we can send a message that we’re tackling it.

"It gives us the opportunities to intervene if needed.”

She said there were long-term issues such as overcrowding but added: “It’s a really good area in terms of transport links and schools and we want people to benefit from that.”