Police arrest crack dealers and kerb crawlers

A five-day police operation in east Bristol targeting drug dealers, kerb crawlers, street drinkers and anti-social behaviour, has resulted in a numerous arrests and thousands of pounds worth of drugs seized.

Neighbourhood Sergeant Chris Green said: “While a lot of this is daily business for us, this week is about pulling all of the team together for a big push on the issues our community is telling us matter most.”

Easton beat manager PC Jo Babbage added: “My team’s also been out dealing with other issues, from giving safety tips to cyclists on the cycle track to dealing with street drinkers making the lives of local residents and businesses a misery.”

“We’ve also been targeting kerb crawlers coming to east Bristol in the hope of picking up street sex workers.”

Drugs

A number of people have been arrested after drugs warrants were carried out across Easton, Whitehall and St Pauls’.

Two men aged 21 and 25 were arrested in Easton after officers found around £25,000 in cash in a safe and a large amount of suspected heroin and cocaine at the property in Chapel Road.

The men arrested have been bailed pending further enquiries.

Earlier in the week a number of people suspected of dealing class A drugs were also arrested. 

Five people were arrested at Twinnell House on Stapleton Road, where drugs with a street value of around £3,000 were found, as well as a large amount of cash. 

The other two men were arrested after officers stopped a car on Pennywell Road in Easton.  The passenger tried to run off, but was chased and arrested nearby.  A rock of suspected crack cocaine was recovered, as well as a large amount of cash.

In total, four people have been charged with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin. 

Neighbourhood Sergeant Chris Green, in charge of the operation, said they have “had some great results” and “thousands of pounds worth of drugs seized as well as cash taken off suspected drug dealers.

Street Drinking

During the week a ‘dispersal zone’ was put into place in Easton to give police powers to remove large groups of street drinkers who have been congregating outside shops and in parks in the area.

Residents and business owners say they urinate on the streets, are verbally aggressive, fight and leave behind litter.

The manager of a supermarket on Stapleton Road said the street drinkers were intimidating his customers and affecting his business. Sakib said: “I can keep the inside of my store tidy, but can’t do anything about the mess they cause outside.

“I know it affects my business.  Every day a member of my staff spends about 45 minutes cleaning up after them.  I also know it puts people off coming here when they are drinking and fighting outside.”

One drinker, who gave his name as Robert, said he could understand why people didn’t like them drinking on the street. “I don’t like myself when I drink but I can’t help it. I can’t drink at home and this is the only place I can see my friends and drink.”

Easton beat manager PC Jo Babbage said: “There are certain spots around east Bristol where groups of street drinkers congregate – sometimes up to 25 of them at a time.

“While there is no easy solution to the problem, we are looking at long-term measures to prevent them gathering here.  We’re also working to ensure retailers aren’t selling alcohol to people who are clearly drunk, as well encouraging them to stop selling the likes of strong lager altogether.  In terms of the people themselves, we work closely with Streetwise and the local homeless shelters to make sure they are offered the support they need.”

Kerb crawling

Police also targeted men kerb crawling in the Easton area.

They arrested two men on suspicion of soliciting. A 31-year-old man from Bradley Stoke was been charged with soliciting, two offences of assaulting a police officer, obstructing a police officer and driving without due care and attention.  He is also accused of driving off and nearly injuring the two female officers who went to arrest him.

Another man, in his 50s, was arrested the same night and has been bailed.

Speeding cyclists and school safety 

As part of a wider operation to tackle anti-social behaviour, police also targeted speeding cyclists on the Bristol and Bath Railway Path and spoke to drivers who cause congestion around Whitehall Primary School.

Parents who cross the path to get to the school say it is known locally as “psycho track”. One parent said: “You see some spectacular snarl-ups – speed cyclists are not usually particularly penitent.”

Teachers at the school say a number of children have been clipped by cyclists. Police said they have been on the track several times clocking cyclists speed and stopping those going over 25mph.

PC Jo Babbage said if a cyclists hit a child at that speed it would “have the same impact as being hit by a car”.

Police also spoke to drivers who ignored speed signs and crossings around the school.

Local resident Jayne Taylor said it is chaos on the roads round the school: “Whitehall has such a small catchment area now that there really is no need for people to drive there. I live three roads away and parents on my road drive their children to school.”