Gang injunction – Bootle

Steven Gray, 23 years of no fixed abode, Bootle has been given a gang injunction to stop him from being involved in gang violence and/or drug dealing.

At Liverpool County Court yesterday (Wednesday, 22 June), his interim injunction was made into full court order, which last for two years and forbids him from associating and communicating with fifteen other named individuals, entering certain parts of Sefton and from using or threatening violence.

The gang injunction was imposed against Gray after Liverpool County Court accepted the evidence submitted by Merseyside Police that he had engaged, encouraged or assisted in gang violence or drug dealing.

The neighbourhood policing team in Bootle successfully submitted that the order was necessary and justified to protect Steven Gary and the public, and to assist the police to prevent violent incidents involving members of a number of rival gangs in the area.

The judge agreed that it was necessary to make the court order to prevent him from committing further violent crimes and drug offences as well as to protect him from being the victims of such crimes.

The order prevents him from:

• Associating with or communicating with 15 other individuals named on the order, by any means, including social media

• Entering the area of Linacre and Litherland, which is defined by the area bounded by but not including Knowsley Road, Crosby Road South, Princess Way, Church Road, Hawthorne Road, Linacre Lane

• Using or threatening to use violence against any person or property, including by telephone or any electronic means including all forms of social media and the Internet

• Engaging in any threatening or abusive conduct including by telephone or any electronic means including all forms of social media and the Internet

• Being in possession of any Class A or B drug or having in his possession any equipment for use in the manufacture / cultivation or distribution of any Class A or B drugs, including but not limited to hydroponics equipment, portable heaters, ventilation fans or industrial ducting within the County of Merseyside

• Owning or having with him more than one mobile telephone or phone SIM card

• Owning or having with him any mobile telephone or phone SIM card the phone number for which has not been disclosed

Dedicated Neighbourhood Ian Jones said the injunctions had been achieved after a lot of hard work from the neighbourhood policing team and the force’s legal department.

Inspector Ian Jones said: “We have been working for some time to build enough evidence to obtain this gang injunction and a county court judge has agreed it is necessary. This court orders will help us keep certain people away from each other and out of key areas of the estate, which in turn reduces the opportunities to commit serious, organised crime.

“Anyone who disregards the prohibitions and is caught will be immediately put before the court and taken off the streets.

“It is clear from our work that it is a small number of people who become involved in criminality in Bootle but these incidents have a massive effect on many more members of the community. Decent, law-abiding people should not have to suffer because of the actions of a few. Residents can be assured that my officers, with support from the rest of the force, are doing everything we can to reduce violent crime in Bootle by targeting the people we suspect are involved.

“The community has an important part to play in this and I would urge anyone with information about criminality to contact us via 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If you tell us, we will act on it.”