Range of incidents recorded in latest wardens’ report

The most recent report on CSW activity, covering July to September this year, indicates wardens continue Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night patrols in Banbridge itself, along with high profile daytime patrols - responding to requests from Police and/or residents in relation to anti-social behaviour -in Dromore, Rathfriland, Gilford, Lawrencetown, Scarva and Banbridge.

Typical of the incidents reported was one in which support and assistance was given to a young man who sustained a serious head injury when accidentally tripping and falling against a wall on a night out.

A young man was found in a distressed state in a local car-park as he had lost his friends and had no credit left on his phone; wardens used their phone to locate his friends and a lift home.

There were two incidents of the CSW finding a young person - one male and one female - on their own and vomiting; they were able to offer them assistance by calling a taxi to take them home and stayed with them due to their vulnerable state and the risk of them choking on vomit.

A young girl was refused entry to a nightclub and left on her own while her friends went in. Wardens advised her to stay with them in a lit area until a lift arrived.

Spikeys (to prevent drinks being spiked) were distributed to a number of females.

In terms of support to potentially vulnerable young people, 29 incidents were recorded, 24 involving females and five involving males.

On a different front, in Banbridge’s Church Square the CSW came across a parked car with an open passenger window and a purse and handbag on the seat. Wardens stayed at the car for 10 minutes until the owner returned and then gave them security advice.

Property was found that someone had left on the roof of their car at night; CSW called at a number of adjacent houses to find the owner.

Wardens also reported alerting police to the discovery of suspicious material, intervening on behalf of distressed residents in cases of anti-social behaviour, reporting suspicious behaviour, intervening in arguments to prevent fights and removing numerous bottles which had been placed under the wheels of parked cars.

Some 97 incidents of consuming alcohol in a designated no-drinking area were recorded, though as the total included several large groups the actual number of individuals involved was much higher; 62 incidents of people being spoken to about urinating in public were recorded, along with 18 incidents of littering, mainly in respect of empty bottles. Other duties included reducing noise and anti-social behaviour within residential areas, providing advice and information to members of the public in relation to transport etc., Alleygate closing and monitoring and administering First Aid.