3,000 police target booze thugs

Deborah Linton

August 21, 2009

A man is led away by police officers

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THREE thousand police officers have launched a huge hunt for Greater Manchester's most violent drunken thugs.

Officers hit the streets in a series of co-ordinated raids and arrested more than 300 people. An AK-47 machine gun with a rocket launcher was among the weapons found.

Follow the operation live - as it happens

CCTV of drunken violence on our streets

Warrants were executed and doors kicked down as a force-wide day of action to drive down alcohol-fuelled violence began.

It marks the launch of a crackdown, entitled Operation Admiral, that will see the full strength of the force used against offenders who attack after out of control boozing sessions.

The operation, involving almost half of the Greater Manchester force, started at 5am.

By 9am more than 250 arrests had been made. In one, an AK47 was found at a house in Stockport.

Deputy Chief Constable Simon Byrne, who was among officers on the region's streets this morning, said: "We want to send out the message that if you've committed a crime we're after you and if you're intent on alcohol-fuelled crime you'll see a lot more of this.

"We know who has committed crimes and we have got the resources in place to arrest them, bring them in and charge them.

"We want to track people down. There has been a big investment from the force and this is about making a statement but it is not a one-off. It's not flash in the pan. You will see the same sort of operations running through the year."

Mr Byrne described drink-fuelled violence as one of the most significant problems facing the region, costing taxpayers millions of pounds to put offenders through the courts, staff cases and provide support to victims.

Offenders

Police chiefs want the drive to force down the number of attacks, improve public confidence and take offenders off the streets.

The force has dealt with 15,000 violent crimes in the past four months - 1,000 of which have been serious offences, including wounding, grievous bodily harm and murder.

About a quarter were drink fuelled and a third have resulted in arrests.

Mr Byrne said that tackling those top end offences has cost Greater Manchester's taxpayers £25m.

He appealed through the M.E.N to parents to know where their children are at night and help eradicate the problem.

He said: "There is a small minority of parents who either don't care or don't ask. My appeal to them is where's your conscience, where's your duty?

"Some encourage their children to drink which is beyond me. We turn up on doorsteps and others have no idea their kids have been out drinking.

"People are leaving themselves vulnerable to attack or sexual crime and putting themselves at risk of committing crimes. Some of the people who are brought into custody have drunk so much they can't even remember what they've done.

Follow the operation live - as it happens

CCTV of drunken violence on our streets

"We're not demonising every young person - every teenager doesn't go out and get paralytic or take drugs and cause trouble. And we're not killjoys. It is the minority that cause problems, but because of them everyone who goes out on a Friday or Saturday night is a potential victim."

Figures show that about half of the population are now too scared to go into the town centre at night.

Troublemakers

Others are trapped in their own homes because of drinking and anti-social behaviour on their estates. Police believe that communities can help identify troublemakers.

They also believe licensees can play a key role in pushing down violent crime, which can be anything from a scuffle at a bus stop to unprovoked mob attacks using a glass or weapon..

Mr Byrne said: "It is bar staff who face a customer and will serve them the drink that sends them over the edge. The majority of licensees are responsible but there are ones that turn a blind eye and if they won't work with us and as part of the community we are sending out the message that we will close them down."

He said that while violent crime is down, the most serious offences are up and crime as a whole is 'unacceptably high' in the region.

GMP will be working with agencies including the council, health service and Crown Prosecution Service to promote sensible drinking, crime prevention and better parenting.

Officers are also being educated on better management of crime scenes to ensure they get the evidence, CCTV footage and witnesses that help secure convictions.

Mr Bryne said: "Officers are working hard in difficult situations and never know what they're going to face when you step into violent crowds - but we are reinforcing to them that there are human beings behind every statistic - people who need an answer.

"We want to re-assure the public that we take this seriously and we won't tolerate violent crime. We want to improve our service for victims and put offenders through the courts and to criminals, we are saying there will be more officers on the streets and if we're told who you are we will come after you.

"We will use every piece of legislation we've got to stop chaotic offenders."

Follow the operation live - as it happens

CCTV of drunken violence on our streets

Follow the operation live - as it happens

CCTV of drunken violence on our streets

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Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Audenshaw Bob (21/08/2009 at 09:43)

Excellent. Let's have more of this.

Citizen of the Peoples Republic Of Mancunia, Manchester (21/08/2009 at 09:57)

I hope it works but the outcome we are used to is they go to court, get a pathetic sentence and they are back on our street in no time. Back to square one and it all starts over again. The public and our Police Officers get screwed over by the courts and our government.

NickS (21/08/2009 at 10:13)

Great work GMP. Keep it coming!
I was awoken at 6.30am this morning after 2 neighbouring doors were put through. It was good to see the young toerags usual smug smiles wiped off their faces when they were dragged out!

PB Crumpsall, Manchester (21/08/2009 at 10:14)

GMP why not try a different approach, have police officers on the streets and randomly walking through pubs, They have a very hard job to do, but the whole policy is wrong, the same as the judicial system.

coolhead, Copenhagen (21/08/2009 at 10:19)

"By 9am more than 250 arrests had been made. In one, an AK47 was found at a house in Stockport".

I think taking an AK47 down to the pub is taking things a bit far.

Please remind me not look at his pint if I'm in his local boozer.

PW, Manchester (21/08/2009 at 10:30)

Yes, all we now need is for the judicial system to co-operate with making proper examples, and we will be close to cracking it. But that's where it will all fail, under the jurisdiction of this criminal-rewarding administration.

Chuckster, Cheshire (21/08/2009 at 10:34)

Did the raids include Tameside ?, I hope so. This borough is awash with drunken, illiterate morons and is officially the scrote capital of the world. Well done GMP, this is the kind of no nonsense approach we need to adopt.....more more.

Panzer 391, Salford (21/08/2009 at 10:37)

There have been lots of pro-active policing from GMP over the last 6 months or so especially in the Bolton area.

Whats going on do they not know they should be out harrasing motorists to bring money in ?

Anyway it makes a change to have something positive to say about GMP, keep it up.

Tameside Blue, Tameside (21/08/2009 at 10:38)

What is it they shout in the theatre when they want an encore ?

More, More, More !!!

Guten Tag, Manchester (21/08/2009 at 10:55)

Anyone caught and convicted of kicking someone in the head should receive an automatic minimum one year inside, more if the injuries are serious.

jgp (21/08/2009 at 10:56)

brilliant, its so much nicer to see the police being given credit. a job well done. i might even go out myself this weekend now i know there is a much lower chance of these morons ruining the evening.
as a train driver i see and suffer more than my fair share of moronic behaviour from these lower than low life individuals and british transport police have been cracking down for quite a while now, the benefits are starting to show on the railways however much more needs to be done both on the railways and the streets. if you see it report it, i reported an asian lady just yesterday who was walking around victoria station with a video camera recording areas that are of no interest to the public under normal circumstances, her explanation and appology was taken as genuine and she turned out to inoccent allthough rather nieve, drunken youthes and adults alike are a drain and any drunken bad behaviour should be reported immediately. again well done to the officers involved and lets work together to make our country great again.

Sam Anderson (21/08/2009 at 11:12)

All very admirable GMP but what will the punishment be? A pathetic community order, a meagre fine? This isn’t a deterrent and until this country overhauls the “justice” system by handing out meaningful sentences, GMP can keep raiding until the cows come home. I fear these raids won’t mean a thing without proper punishment/sentences being dished out. Only then will the message get through.

Lord De Las Moscas, Piggly Wiggly Farm (21/08/2009 at 11:16)

Unless the courts hand out custodial sentences that would act as a deterrent - 1 year, 2 years ? then it will have been a pointless exercise.
I suggest the MEN reserve a future front page to categorically list what actually comes of this in terms of time served.

hjk (21/08/2009 at 11:19)

This is just what Greater Manchester needed instead of trying to pussyfoot around them. After rounding them up they should be taken to a Boot Camp and that will sort out the men from the boys. What we now need is the same tactics at weekends in the towns then more people might start going out again. G.M.P. Well done.

Jeff Lebowski (21/08/2009 at 11:26)

Well done GMP. This is great news, but would be even better if those found guilty could be birched.

zoomer, The Moon (21/08/2009 at 11:31)

Where did the GMP get all those police from ? Not ASDA heheheheheheheheh I didnt know we had that many police in manchester.

Al Capone of Atherton, Atherton (21/08/2009 at 11:41)

Let's have more of this. Zero tolerance works. New York proved that. Well done GMP.

Kris-Kross, Ashton Under Lyne (21/08/2009 at 12:12)

This is policing the symptoms rather than the cause. Help is needed to help alcoholics to quit. AA is old fashioned and teaches how to make it difficult to quit alcohol.

The police here arrested 250 but how many will be released without charge because they find they did not actually commit any offence? It's all headline grabbing tactics but no real substance.

Citizen of the Peoples Republic Of Mancunia, Manchester (21/08/2009 at 12:24)

Lord De Las Moscas, great idea. I second that, any chance of that MEN?

Tubby Scruff (21/08/2009 at 12:29)

From the current comments, do I detect there is a change coming and finally, 'little' people are being listened to?

Guten Tag, Manchester (21/08/2009 at 12:29)

Brilliant point Lord De Las Moscas. What's the point of this exercise by GMP if the courts hand out 'badge of honour' sentences to these people, who on release from the court will head to the nearest boozer to celebrate?

It's no secret GMP have no confidence in the court system. The majority convicted by Operation Admiral won't serve time and won't be hit hard in the pocket. We need a tough judge to hand out tough sentences.

sneakitawc (21/08/2009 at 12:30)

good work, though i feel the government will unlock the handcuffs all too soon.

Mad Welsh Scotsman, Cadishead (21/08/2009 at 12:37)

If they're looking for prison space, I believe Scotland has a space now that the murdering scumbag who blew up the plane over Lockerby has been set free

Mr Manchester (21/08/2009 at 12:43)

The price of alcohol is far too cheap in supermarkets. Cheaper than a bottle of water in some cases. I don't want to hit the responsible majority, but the cheap and nasty drinks available need to be taken out of the hands of youngsters who simply neck litres of the vile stuff. Lo and behold it's the emergency services who have to wipe after them...

Ray S (21/08/2009 at 13:23)

Well done GMP, can we have more of this please......?

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