Police crackdown on ‘unacceptable’ behaviour on Snow Hill estate

Police say they have added extra patrols at the Snow Hill estate in Bath following increased reports of anti-social behaviour (ASB).

Berkeley House in Snow Hill | Photo © Avon & Somerset Police / Bath and North East Somerset Neighbourhood Policing

They have been working closely with housing association Curo to address issues, predominantly from the Berkeley House block, which have centred around:

• Non-residents accessing the blocks
• Drug dealing and use.
• Verbal abuse of residents
• Rough sleeping in communal areas, blocking access up and down stairways or to lifts.
• Littering and mess left in communal areas.

Police have supported Curo in two successful civil injunctions, which prohibit two frequent ASB offenders from attending the area.

They have already arrested both offenders for at least one breach and say they are ready to support Curo in any future injunction applications.

A number of community protection warnings and notices to prohibit offenders from attending the area have also been issued by the police.

They have been operating a targeted patrol plan with neighbourhood officers attending the area throughout the day, with a specific focus on early-hours patrols to catch anyone sleeping in communal areas. Response officers have also made patrols overnight.

The police say they have been holding meetings with Curo to discuss the longer term, including what can be done to improve the physical security of the blocks, how vulnerable residents can be safeguarded, and the most appropriate enforcement actions to take against both resident and non-resident offenders.

This week, a Curo spokesperson told the Echo: “This ongoing criminal behaviour has had a serious and detrimental impact on residents. It is unacceptable.

“We’ve responded by working with police to coordinate action and sanction those responsible. This has included securing injunctions against two prolific offenders to ban them from Berkeley House.

“We’ll continue to use the powers at our disposal to tackle the behaviour of this problematic minority.”