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Fordingbridge pupils given evening curfew

8:00am Saturday 6th February 2010 in


SCHOOL pupils in Fordingbridge have received a police warning that they will be dealt with “firmly and robustly” if they are caught causing trouble late at night.

A letter issued to Burgate School pupils claimed it was “unacceptable” for children aged 16 or younger to be out on the streets after 11pm.

This stance has been criticised by the Children’s Rights Alliance for England (CRAE), who say it could damage relations between young people and the police.

But the move has been welcomed by the school and town council, who hope it will help curb antisocial behaviour in the area.

The letter was written by the town’s safer neighbourhood team and warned pupils that police would contact their parents and possibly social services if they were on the streets later than 11pm.

“If any young person is found in the town centre areas behaving in a rowdy and inconsiderate manner or causing criminal damage, police will arrest these individuals and deal with them firmly and robustly,” it added.

But a spokeswoman for the CRAE said a blanket policy like this was open to legal challenge and could breach children’s rights.

“Children and young people have the right to freedom of movement and freedom of association,” she said.

“Police should only interfere with this where there is a criminal activity or they believe a child is at risk of harm.”

A police spokesperson said teenagers who were out late at night but causing no problems had nothing to fear.

“Police will only deal with young people if their attention is drawn to them for the wrong reasons,” he said.

“Parental responsibility is important and parents should ensure that good disciplines are instilled into their children at a younger age to prevent this sort of unacceptable conduct as they get older.”

Comments(25)

uvox44 says...
8:33am Sat 6 Feb 10

I can see both sides here, most people probably would not expect under 16's to be out after 11pm but as it is not actually illegal then I can't see how the police can say it is unacceptable UNLESS they are causing trouble. I think the police should stick to applying the law rather than getting involved in setting standards of what is / is not acceptable to them where nothing illegal is being done. And this is NOT suggesting tolerating anti-social behaviour before I'm accussed of being a bleeding heart liberal!

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cardomon says...
9:00am Sat 6 Feb 10

Police targeting an easy group to get popularist support.
If you replaced the term under 16 with the word black or muslim people would see just how unacceptable this statement is.

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chris_1991 says...
9:54am Sat 6 Feb 10

11 o'clock...??!! Surely if it's a school night then it's in their best interest to get a decent nights sleep so they don't fall asleep at school the next day! Although I'm barely past 16 myself I was never out at that hour.

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Henry Bear says...
10:12am Sat 6 Feb 10

I am 16 and I cannot tell the time, how would this rule work for me??

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madgeman says...
10:24am Sat 6 Feb 10

Sounds again like a no-news story to my; ie they're only going to deal with the people who are being anti-social, and if they're under 16 they'll let both their parents and social service know; all the local safer neighbourhood team has done is sent a letter to the school, which has been read out and given the pupils fair warning.
The security words are quite apt as well, huge-same!

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traindriver3ss says...
10:42am Sat 6 Feb 10

under 16 well maybe a case but 16??? so they can leave school, get married with parental permission, work and pay taxes but have to be home by 2300 come off it????????

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cathy75 says...
11:21am Sat 6 Feb 10

Ive been saying for a long time that curfews should be put on children under 17. All should be at home by 9pm, there is no need for young kids to roaming the streets at all hours. Germany, holland and other places have curfews for children at 7pm. If your caught on the streets huge fine for parents and it works. They dont have the trouble we have to deal with here. Bring in curfews nationally!!!

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tricky1007 says...
2:19pm Sat 6 Feb 10

cardomon wrote:
Police targeting an easy group to get popularist support. If you replaced the term under 16 with the word black or muslim people would see just how unacceptable this statement is.
thats because there should be no restriction on black or muslim people being out after 11, what a stupid argument! but why should under 16 be out after 11? if they have school next day then they should be at home. we give youngsters to much freedom now. and parents are not good enough at controlling their kids, because i guarantee all responsible parents would not be affected by this, as they know where their kids are

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tt52 says...
2:27pm Sat 6 Feb 10

Henry Bear wrote:
I am 16 and I cannot tell the time, how would this rule work for me??
Dont go out at all. Then you cant get into trouble

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bex1984 says...
3:14pm Sat 6 Feb 10

I was never allowed out at the age of 16 or 17 after 10.30pm! and i respect my parents for the choices they made when i was younger. There is no need for young people to be out after that time anyways. Whats the big attraction? when you get older you gradually dont want to be out late into the night and rather tucked up in front of the tv with wine, food and a movie!! we need to protect the well being of children.

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Syd Poumen says...
3:41pm Sat 6 Feb 10

tt52 wrote:
Henry Bear wrote: I am 16 and I cannot tell the time, how would this rule work for me??
Dont go out at all. Then you cant get into trouble
He can, with some of the stupid remarks he makes on this site!

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Frogham Ferret says...
5:10pm Sat 6 Feb 10

Dos this mean that the young drunkies who litter Frdingbridge of an evening have a free hand until 11pm!
It's dodgy at 6pm, running the gauntlet of underage smokers and drinkers at the entrance to the car park.

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CoogarUK.com says...
5:31pm Sat 6 Feb 10

I'm with the teenagers on this one. I'm sure most sensible, responsible sixteen year olds will be off the streets by 11pm. Those that aren't are more likely to be the ones causing trouble and when they do they should be dealt with appropriately by the authorities.

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Captain Smirk says...
5:55pm Sat 6 Feb 10

The Police are just another criminal gang these days.

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l'anglais says...
8:08pm Sat 6 Feb 10

A child becomes an adult at 18. Until that time their parents are responsable for their upbringing & their behaviour. I cannot think of 1 single reason why a child should be out after 9pm.
Apart from getting drunk & knocked up.

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pete furtada says...
9:25pm Sat 6 Feb 10

My pal os is yonks over 16 but looks younger his mother buys his clothes from MotherCare or lidle on wednesday's

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pete furtada says...
9:26pm Sat 6 Feb 10

My pal os is yonks over 16 but looks younger, his mother buys his clothes from MotherCare or lidle on wednesday's

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pete furtada says...
9:31pm Sat 6 Feb 10

os my little pal is scared to death of the dark he sleeps with his mother with the light on.

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mazzg says...
10:39pm Sat 6 Feb 10

Kids complain there is nothing for them to do in the evenings. What on earth can they find to do at this late hour. I am all for the rights of children for their protection but it is getting to the point where they know they can do anything they want. Kids need more boundaries for them to see right and wrong.

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Henry Bear says...
9:18am Sun 7 Feb 10

Syd Poumen wrote:
tt52 wrote:
Henry Bear wrote: I am 16 and I cannot tell the time, how would this rule work for me??
Dont go out at all. Then you cant get into trouble
He can, with some of the stupid remarks he makes on this site!
Sorry Sydney

My comments come form my heart, but then at least I have one, unlike you, you big bully you.

I will meet you behind the bike sheds later after French

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poolebabe says...
9:56am Sun 7 Feb 10

l'anglais wrote:
A child becomes an adult at 18. Until that time their parents are responsable for their upbringing & their behaviour. I cannot think of 1 single reason why a child should be out after 9pm. Apart from getting drunk & knocked up.
I agree with you. The law needs to change. I know children are going to have to stay at school until they are 18 soon, and that is a good thing, because there is way to make inconsistancy as to when a child reaches adult. At the momment a child can leave school, get married or join the army at 16, but they can't drink. All very grown up laws there. Change all these minimum age laws to 18 or 21 I personally think, and there won't be so many conflicting laws. I wonder what on earth must go through a parent's mind to allow it. I would be worried sick if my 15 yr old (almost 16) was out at that time. He's got all day to go out on the weekends. :/ Maybe I'm just over protective, but when children are out with nothing to do, thats when there are problems.

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Rick White says...
1:58pm Sun 7 Feb 10

Childrens Rights Alliance. They have to earn their rights first! Be grown up to be accepted as one. Be stupid and childish and.......well there you go! Stop bleating about rights until such time as you deserve them until them drink your milk and do your homework as it will be you, unfortunately for us oldies, that will eventually run the country

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Fightingback says...
4:19pm Wed 10 Feb 10

Police bullies!

A whole generation will grow up despising them.

Agree with above comment about police wouldnt dare target muslims or blacks in that way but youngsters have no-one to support them.

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karateman1964 says...
7:28pm Wed 10 Feb 10

I should think the Police have better things to do than deal with rogue Teenagers..what happened to Parents taking control of their Kids?

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Bournefre says...
9:15pm Thu 11 Feb 10

When I was younger I was sick to the back teeth of older people having a pop at me because they saw me as a weak target, but I don't see any problem with police stopping people or groups of people under the age of 16 who are "out on the streets" unaccompanied by a parent, then unless they have a good reason, dealing with them appropriately, which would most likely involve taking their details then delivering them home to their parents, if only for their own safety.
I would also expect anyone behaving in a rowdy and inconsiderate manner or causing criminal damage to be dealt with robustly regardless of their age.

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