Eight men have been arrested after police encountered a group fighting with poles and bats on a road in St Helens. Merseyside Police have since extended a stop search order and dispersal zone in the area to prevent further incidents.
Arrests made after officers spot fight
On Thursday evening, officers were on route to an unrelated incident along St Helens Linkway when they came across a group of men fighting in the road with poles and bats. Police got out of their car and made a number of arrests.
Six men aged between 15 and 19 from St Helens were arrested on suspicion of affray and possession of offensive weapons in a public place. Two men aged 18 and 22 from St Helens were arrested on suspicion of affray. All were taken into custody for questioning.
Orders extended until Sunday
The stop search order, granted under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, was initially in place until 2pm on Saturday but has been extended to 2pm on Sunday, after which it will be reviewed. The order covers an area including East Lancashire Road, Moss Bank Road, Carr Mill Road, Stanley Bank Way, Blackbrook Road, Fleet Lane, Borad Lane, Bold Lane, Travers Entry, Reginald Road, Mill Lane, Elton Head Road, Rainhill Road, Thatto Heath Road, Prescot Road, Westfield Street, Dentons Green Alne and Rainford Road.
A dispersal order is also in place until 2pm on Sunday, where it will be reviewed. It gives police powers to direct people suspected of causing or likely to cause crime, nuisance or anti-social behaviour to leave a designated area and not return for up to 48 hours. The dispersal zone covers the area bordered by East Lancashire Road, Abbey Road, Hard Lane and Rainford.
Extra patrols deployed
Extra officers have been deployed to the area to provide a visible presence and deal with any incidents. Local Policing Inspector Paul Varley said: “Such violence will not be tolerated, and as such we have arrested eight men in connection with last night’s incident.”
“Both orders have been put in place as an added measure to provide us with the powers needed to stop and search or disperse people in the area. Extra officers are patrolling the area to ensure those who are causing such issues are appropriately dealt with so they do not cause distress to residents in the community.”
“Such action isn’t about bothering anyone going about their daily business or preventing people from meeting with friends. It’s simply about taking action to reduce violence and make sure that everyone can feel safe where they live. Patrols have also been stepped up to reassure our residents so if you have any information on any offences in the area please speak with our officers.”
