Skater fined in city crackdown

January 27, 2005

| Submit Comments | Comments (100) | Previous | Next

A TEENAGER has become the first in Greater Manchester to be brought before the courts for skateboarding.

Andrew Richardson, 18, appeared before magistrates in Manchester as part of a crackdown on "street skaters" in the city.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay '150 prosecution costs at a rate of '4 a week. The full-time student earns around '40 a month collecting glasses in a pub.

Richardson, who described himself as a "law-abiding citizen", pleaded guilty to skateboarding in a paved area contrary to a local bylaw. A spokeswoman for Manchester city council said they were committed to stopping illegal skateboarding and pledged to repeat the prosecution, which cost '750. A second case is due within weeks.

The Manchester Evening News revealed in July how the council were planning a series of prosecutions under a "three strikes" rule. Plain-clothed police have been working with council officers to gather intelligence and dozens of people have now been caught three times.

Menace

The council claims skateboarders are a menace to pedestrians and cause damage running in to tens of thousands of pounds.

The bylaw, which came into force in December 2001, bans skateboarding in certain parts of Manchester city centre. Offenders who cause annoyance or nuisance to passers-by can be fined up to '1,000. Others, like Richardson, can be prosecuted simply for skating in a forbidden zone.

Neal Boland, prosecuting, said Richardson had been sent a warning letter on May 17 last year after being seen skateboarding in Cathedral Gardens near Urbis. He was spoken to by a police officer over a second incident just five days later. And on July 26 he was spotted skateboarding again in the same area at around 7.15pm.

Mr Boland admitting skateboarding "may seem at the low end of the scale" of offending but pointed out the prohibited zones were clearly marked.

Richardson, of Sandylands Drive, Prestwich, said he only received one warning letter before being summoned. His father Roy Richardson, said his son was "very sorry for any trouble" he had caused. Both refused to speak as they left the court.

The council built a '75,000 skate park under Mancunian Way this year to give skateboarders an alternative to city centre streets.

Is court the right way to deal with skateboarders? Have your say below.

| Submit Comments | Comments (100) | Previous | Next

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Andy, London (27/01/2005 at 10:43)

Tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage? Really? Where?

Sledge hammer to crack a nut anyone?

Steve Davidson, London (27/01/2005 at 11:14)

Typical. Instead of promoting the younger generation to take part in healthy sporting activities a council seeks to stifle them. Is it any wonder that obesity is so widespread.

dave, city centre (27/01/2005 at 11:44)

skate boarding has always been about counter culture, so prosecuting just reinforces the kudos. However something needs to be done to remind them that all sorts of people want to use the city centre - some skaters dominate our squares without any regard to others and the damage it causes. But do skaters care?

Jon, City Centre (27/01/2005 at 12:39)

Now can something be done about cyclists going through red lights (Traffic and Pedestrian), the wrong way down one way streets, and up on pavements.

Paul, Chadderton (27/01/2005 at 12:44)

Exactly how much of a problem can skaters in the city centre have been for it to take over three years for the first prosecution to come about. The arguments that skaters caused thousands of pounds worth of damage always seemed a bit suspect to me, and even if they were true, the law of criminal damage already existed under which to prosecute skaters. The ban was overkill

Joe Wilkinson, Hulme Manchester (27/01/2005 at 12:47)

Well we've all seen them,skateboarders whizzing all over the city centre risking broken bones and worse but I don't think prosecuting these lads is the right way to address the problem.I would be more supportive of the Council if they built a proper large open-air skatepark in the city centre where these kids can show of their 'skills' instead of pushing them under the Mancunian way flyover and telling them they have an alternative place to skate.It seems like the Council are using a hammer to crack a walnut.

Paul, Manchester (27/01/2005 at 13:20)

Skateboarders are a nuisance, and when large groups of them get together (like in Catherdral Gardens) then I can see that it is quite intimidating to some people. They are effectively exluding an area for enjoyment by the general public. Plus most of them are pretty rubbish anyway, so the argument to have somewhere where they can 'show off their skills' seems pretty redundant. Maybe rather than going under the Mancunian Way they could play on it instead...?

Rachel, St Annes (27/01/2005 at 13:29)

Does the punishment fit the crime?

The skaters round Urbis (and on the Arena car park) do try to show consideration to pedestrians and drivers. They don't have anywhere else to go and skating is hardly the same as shoplifting or doing drugs.

Would the concillors like to be ordered to pay 40% of their salary as a fine for such an offence? What would they have got for shoplifting, mugging or threatening behaviour?

Louise Pendleton, Manchester (27/01/2005 at 14:00)

Skateboarders should be made to pay for the damage caused by their actions. The stone seating around the war memorial at St Peter's Square in Manchester is damaged and looks unsightly as this was a regular spot for skaters. I could never understand why these people weren't prosecuted for criminal damage? I suppose the long suffering tax payers will once again have to foot the bill for repair.

Ju, Manchester (27/01/2005 at 14:16)

I don't think I've seen any skateboarders in Manchester being rude or offensive. The kids near Urbis are generally a happy crowd. They don't run over old ladies or skate off with their handbags. Can't we give children a chance?
I recently heard of a boy who has been given an ASBO for playing football.
Manchester is becoming a joke in terms of its responses to some situations. What next? a police helicopter chasing a gang of skateboarders.....?

Mark, London (27/01/2005 at 14:28)

yeah why should they be skating when they could be in the pub drinking getting in to fights ?

Jimmy, Manchester (27/01/2005 at 15:55)

I dont know how Manchesters skateboarders can be prosecuted for skating in the city when all the Authorities can provide is a measly little park shoved under the Mancuian Way. Granted its not a bad park but no way does it accomodate for all the skaters in Manchester.

Provide the correct facilities for skaters then tackle the city centre skating.

Idiots.

vincent, manchester (27/01/2005 at 17:26)

Whilst i agree that there is not much space for the skateboarders to go, they shouldn't destroy hard work of the council workers who have taken time to pave the road and areas where skaters have destroyed!!

John, Manchester (27/01/2005 at 18:03)

Theres nothing to do in manchester apart from getting drunk. Get some more recreation facilites and stop building houses on all the playing fields

Russ, London (27/01/2005 at 19:11)

I want to see a crackdown on people who push prams into me, those who drive electric carts into me, people who trip me up with dog leashes, small children running haphazard and causing accidents, people wacking me in the legs with blind canes. Yeah, let's go crazy and prosecute everyone bar those who walk slowly in a straight line.
I exercise my free roaming rights to use a skateboard as transport. I cannot ollie to save my life, therefore i cannot cause damage. You want to prosecute me? Bring it on.
You and your byelaws make me sick.

Chris Craven, Hulme (27/01/2005 at 19:13)

Last Saturday night (6.30pm) whilst waiting for a bus a man threatened to batter me for looking at him. On returning to the city centre around midnight Deansgate was sealed off because a mass brawl has broken out near the Sawyers Arms. I'LL tell you what though it warms my heart to know we are getting on top of this skateboarding menace.

Dan, worsely manchester (27/01/2005 at 21:39)

Manchester's got bigger problems then skateboarders and instead of looking like they are doing some good they should tackle real problems the city faces. Besides Manchester has had millions of pounds spent on new buildings and wont pay up for a slightly chipped ledge.
Urbis is where alot of skaters skate and where we regulary get kicked off, but the council payed an american architect to design it. That architect actually designed Urbis for skateboarders and the council don't want us to skate it!
Skaters are here to stay and fines won't stop us so instead of stopping us embrace us.

Sam, Bury, greater manchester (27/01/2005 at 22:00)

I'm a skateboarder and yes i skateboard at the urbis and other places. But i tell you this i have never hit or run into a predestrian never been abusive or rude andnever been in any way 'anti-social' infact i often end up with people coming up to me asking me about how i learnt to do. How very anti social i am. I just wish these people would get a clue, i make sure i only go to places liek urbis on a sunday or at night time when the place is unused by predestrians. They try and defend there actions by building the park under a busy motorway, yet they failed to mention you have to pay a monthly fee to skate there, which i cant really spare when the streets are free. Fining kids for doing an activity they love and which keeps them fit and healthy is just idiotic.

Thomas, Middleton, Manchester (27/01/2005 at 22:32)

People see skateboarders as intimidating?? what about the people walkin round manchester who are commiting real crimes, asualts and thefts,drug dealing etc skateboarding is a culture that has respect for people, i dont no anybody who skateboards and goes out to commit a crime. I do respect that we could be a danger to pederstains, but no matter how many facilities are built and how many laws are passed, skateboarding will not stop in manchester

Mark Stockton, Manchester (27/01/2005 at 23:06)

The court case is an absolute joke. The council persists to see skateboards as a menace to society. Have they not looked around themselves? They are the council of one of the most watched cities in England...but it still ha the highest crime rate!
They are obviosuly doing something wrong and this ridiculous court case proves exactly this. They have no real logic behind their reasons to stop skateboarding, very little damage is caused and if any is the money that skateboarding brings into the city is a hell of a lot more than damage would ever cost.
And to call us anti-social youths is bizzare to say the least. How can we be anti-social? We are happily skating in areas of Manchester whilst 99% of pedestrians enjoy watching us or are interested in what we do in one way or another. Skateboarding brings a lot of people away from lives of real crime that really affect people. I could walk out my door right now and talk to drug dealers, criminals walking down the street, with this goin on around me throughout my childhood I have always needed an interest to drag me away from the same life of being the bottom of society, in an out of prison causing crimes that are a real problem, and this is the same for many people who skate.
I also dont understand hwo we cna be intimidating to anyone. We are busy skatin or chillin with our mates how on earth is that intimidating? We wont stop skatin to suddenly stalk you and mug you, that is the complete opposite of our character.
The people that have made this ban on skateboarding have obviously not even looked into the nature of skateboarding, its people, the scene or what it provides for the city. They have probably never even met a skateboarder in their lives or at most even seen one. The city has a lot bigger problems than skateboarding and you need to get your priorities in order right now cus theres a hell of alot going down involving real crime, real violences and real deaths and it seems to us like you barely even care about that,as if its too much hassle for you to deal with it.

Duncan, Stoke on Trent (27/01/2005 at 23:11)

Telling skaters they can skate in a skatepark is like telling ramblers they can walk on a treadmill at the gym. It is not a substitute, or even similar to street skating.

I do honestly believe that some would prefer to see young people drunk or thieving so that their stereotypes are justified. Skaters that don't cause nuisance, are not threatening or delinquent are just too confusing to accept. It's just too scary to think that they've been wrong about "yoof culture" for so long.

I'll tell you what, let's pretend that by stopping then skating they'll decide to do charity work instead eh?

Nathan, Brighton (27/01/2005 at 23:47)

pathetic...you speak of taxpayers money and the damage being caused but fail to see the bigger picture, skateboarding is an art, an expression much like any other except it manifests itself within its surroundings, two people can look at graffiti and see completey different things , on one hand you have a deviant act, a criminal defacement and on the other you have a work of ark, a mini masterpeice in its own right, in a society which is so concerned with freedom we serve only under an hypocrisy that encourages spirit and free will yet condemns us when we express it, the fact is, it doesnt matter how much you fine us and how much you go against us, we'll still be skating and with all the more reason.

Dane, Leigh (28/01/2005 at 00:05)

Skate or Die!

oddie, Chester (28/01/2005 at 08:58)

I read this and re-read it to convince myself it wasn't a joke. Maybe he should take up mugging old people or nicking cars. Less chance of punishment if he's caught.

This penal system really does have it's priorities wrong.

lobbyWAZZA, manchester (28/01/2005 at 09:32)

paul, ''They are effectively exluding an area for enjoyment by the general public.'' if you havent noticed but Urbis/Catherdral are crowded with people especially at weekends when skateboarders are most likley to be there as for you saying, ''Plus most of them are pretty rubbish anyway'' how pathetic, how old are you?....grow up. And what it all boils down too is, nobady will ever stop skateboarding on the streets of manchester, no matter how many fines are given or skateboards confiscated or facillitys biult. skateboadering isnt like most sports it is expressive and belongs on the streets

Peace.

()

Report

News