“It is the responsibility of the owners of this building to step up and make it safe.”
Hampshire Constabulary has issued a summons to court to the owners of Sandown’s Ocean Hotel to face criminal charges after they neglected to make the building secure.
Had a month to take action
Phoenix Commercial Property Developments (PCPD) had a month to board up every access point and install a perimeter fence and CCTV around the hotel after the police force issued a Community Protection Notice (CPN) last month.
It followed a warning notice issued in May which was also ignored.
PCPD had, the force confirmed, ‘acknowledged receipt’ of the CPN but had until midnight last night (11th July) to comply with the notice or face criminal charges.
No action has been taken
Inspecting the site this morning (Tuesday), Sgt Ben Sharland, of the South Wight Neighbourhood Policing Team, confirmed nothing had been done and there was fresh damage to the building.
It is only the second time a CPN has been issued against a business or company in the country, Sgt Sharland said, so they were pushing the boundaries of what the legislation can do.
Strong evidence of anti-social behaviour
To enforce the CPN, Sgt Sharland said it has to have a direct link to anti-social behaviour — something the force can ‘strongly evidence’.
He said,
“Not only are children accessing this building, but it is a starting point and they are then filtering out into the town. They can just stroll in, there is no barrier whatsoever to stop them getting access.”
Positive action at Grand Hotel
Sgt Sharland compared it to another derelict building further along the seafront, The Grand Hotel, whose owners have taken positive action to stop break-ins, making it secure, with CCTV and security, ‘rarely’ resulting in trespassers.
While the Isle of Wight Council is working to restore the building, Sgt Sharland said they were supporting the authority, but felt they had to take action to make it safe.
Sharland: It’s just inviting them in
He said,
“At least by trying to get the fencing back up, boarding and CCTV, we can stop people potentially getting in and quash the anti-social behaviour.
“It is just inviting them in. You have to put this in the mindset of a 13/14-year-old and when I was that age it would have just been a playground for me. I cannot blame them for going in there.”
Operation Spider
The police have recently launched Operation Spider, dealing with the issues of anti-social behaviour; using traditional policing methods as well as new, looking at the causes of the anti-social behaviour.
Youth diversion is also in place for the whole of the Bay area, with the police working closely with partners to pull those children on the fringes of the problems away and divert them.
Police presence increased by 50 per cent
Sgt Sharland said police presence has increased by 50 per cent in the areas and they are robustly policing those four to five offenders committing crime on a daily basis.
By pulling away the children on the edges of the groups, Sgt Sharland said, the main offenders have no one to play up to.
Witnessing crime that would otherwise be unreported
While there may be a rise in crime in the area at the moment that is because the officers are witnessing offences that would otherwise be unreported.
More importantly, however, Sgt Sharland said officers have been engaging with parents and have noted the size of groups reducing, something he is confident will continue.
Appeal hearing
The Isle of Wight Council is also taking action against PCPD but the company has appealed the notice.
It is due to be heard at the IW Magistrates’ Court on 3rd August.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
