New powers for police to tackle problem pubs and underage drinkers

New police powers to tackle ‘problem premises’ and underage drinking have come into force.

The changes to the Policing and Crime Bill mean that councils will now be able to strip problem premises of their licence without having to wait for a resident to make a complaint.

Meanwhile, other changes to help crack down on underage drinking mean that:

Police can now charge sellers with persistently selling alcohol to under-18s if they are caught twice within three months. Previously they had to be caught three times.

Police can now confiscate alcohol from under-18s without having to prove that the individual ‘intended’ to consume alcohol

Police can now issue ‘directions to leave’ to young people aged 10-15

There is a new offence for under-18s of persistently possessing alcohol in a public place

Home Office Minister Alan Campbell said: ““The majority of young people are model citizens but there are a minority that are not. These powers will make it easier for police to take tough action against those groups whose behaviour can affect a whole community.

“Alongside this we are challenging young people’s attitudes about binge drinking. Our Know Your Limits campaign continues to make people think about how much they are drinking.”