CHESHIRE'S chief constable has implied that boozing youngsters should be taken into care if parents refuse to take responsibility for their drinking.

Peter Fahy (pictured) was speaking after father-of-three Garry Newlove was allegedly attacked by youths outside his Warrington home.

Mr Newlove, 47, died of his injuries on Sunday afternoon and four teenagers are in custody having been charged with murder.

Mr Fahy also believes there should be a curfew when youngsters are expected to be indoors, and said his officers would welcome a ban on drinking in public.

They were out in force last night to tackle alcohol-related anti-social behaviour, underage drinking and to reassure the public.

Mr Fahy said: "We would like to see some form of sanction that actually makes parents come forward and take up offers of support.

"Clearly if it gets to the stage where a parent has a very vulnerable child through drinking but is not willing to take up support then it should become a child protection issue.

"We would like to see more support and advice but with a sanction from the criminal justice system.

"Ultimately, if they are not willing to take up that offer your child would have to be considered as part of care proceedings."

Mr Fahy said often when officers take drunken teenagers home, parents are shocked, occasionally they do not care, and sometimes they are drunk themselves.

"That's the bit the criminal justice system struggles with," he said. "When you've got a parent who just doesn't care, what do you do?" The chief constable has already sparked a national debate when he called for the legal drinking age to be raised to 21.

Strong alcohol

He also wants to see higher prices for strong alcohol and believes there should be a consensus on when teenagers should be indoors.

Mr Fahy said: "On the whole, society has stepped back from laying too many standards and telling people how to run their lives and things like what time children should be home at night.

"A lot of police officers absolutely would be in favour of a time when it is expected that young people are actually at home indoors and clear rules like there should be no drinking in public, unless in areas where the local authority thinks it is suitable."

Friends and neighbours of Mr Newlove said teenagers acting anti-socially had been a major problem.

Mr Fahy said: "The death of Mr Newlove has touched the nation.

"This is not only a tragedy for one family, this is a child protection issue. It is also a tragedy that we have four young people charged with murder.

"Young people who are drinking are putting themselves in vulnerable positions both in terms of being the victim of crime or committing crime."

The family of Mr Newlove has released a statement saying: "Our family remain devastated by the loss of Garry."