Crime Solicitors

Islington Council in north London has used new legal powers to prevent a youth from visiting a neighbourhood in the borough where he would be in danger of falling into a criminal lifestyle.

The council’s anti-social behaviour housing team and youth offending team –
working closely with the Mildmay safer neighbourhood policing team – were successful in their attempts to impose Islington’s first youth injunction on a 16-year-old gang member.

The teenager is suspected of involvement in knife crime – and associates with a gang involved in stabbings, both as victims and perpetrators.

He has also been caught with a knife and arrested a number of times, but never charged.

Evidence was collected on the teenager and presented at Highbury Youth Court, where the order was made in September.

Under powers granted by the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, the order prohibits the teenager from most of the Mildmay ward in northeast Islington for a year.

The injunction granted by magistrates allows police to arrest the youth if he is caught within the specified area. He would then appear before a magistrate, who would decide on the appropriate course of action.

Penalties could include changes to the supervision order already in place as part of the injunction – or a period of detention in a young offenders’ institution (YOI).

The order was made under civil legislation rather than criminal law, although breaching the order would constitute a criminal offence.

Islington Council’s executive member for community safety, Councillor Paul Convery, said:

“This action has been taken in a bid to remove this youth from a life of criminality before it is too late.

“Islington Council has tried everything to help this young man turn himself around – but he has refused to do the right thing.

“He is at serious risk of committing a violent crime or being a victim. It is essential we use every power we have to remove him from that risk.

“We're now using the new legislation to direct those committing crime or anti-social behaviour – and those on the fringes of it – away from that lifestyle, to safeguard both themselves and others.
“We are already pursuing injunctions against other young people, whose lives could be turned around with a combination of this measure and others at our disposal.

“Alongside the injunction, we continue to offer help and support to this young man to seize the opportunity to turn his life around.”

Duncan Lewis Crime Lawyers

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For expert legal advice on all criminal charges, contact Duncan Lewis crime lawyers on 020 7923 4020.

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