Police use special powers after spike in yob nuisance in Corby town centre

Officers have tonight imposed a dispersal order on a large part of the town which includes the entire town centre, Coronation Park and the woodland area up to Cottingham Road.

It follows a rise in the number of incidents after groups of youths gathered in the area.

Officers this evening (Thursday, October 31) warned parents to make sure they know where their children are.

The neighbourhood policing team made the plea following a Section 35 Dispersal Order being enacted in the town centre.

They said: “In recent days, there has been a sharp rise in incidents across the town, and for the next 48-hours, police have been given additional dispersal powers to help prevent further crime and anti-social behaviour.”

The order grants a power to police officers and Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) to deal with individuals engaging in anti-social behaviour, crime and disorder.

This applies not only when an incident has happened or is taking place, but when they are likely to occur, in any location in the designated area (pictured) and anyone dispersed and found to have returned within this period can be arrested.

The dispersal power came into force from 2.30pm today (Thursday, October 31) and will initially be in place until 2.30pm on Saturday (November 2).

If you have any concerns about anti-social behaviour in Corby town centre, you can report it by calling 101 and quoting incident number 24000649409.

Dispersal orders are only used sparingly and must be authorised by an officer at or above the rank of inspector. They can only be used when the officer has reasonable grounds to believe that local people are at risk of being harassed, alarmed or distressed by a group of people or person, or when they believe there could be a spike in disorder.

Back in 2019 police had to repeatedly use the powers to try to stop gangs meeting in Corporation Street and West Glebe Park and causing trouble.