Unight Aberdeen News

A NEW EXCLUSION ORDER

Fri 22 Jul 2011 - submited by Shelly Wall

How would you feel to be UNABLE to enter your favourite Aberdeen pubs & clubs?

A NEW EXCLUSION ORDER initiative launched by UNIGHT Aberdeen & Grampian Police means that if you commit alcohol related violent crimes, in Aberdeen city centre, you may be LEGALLY BANNED from ALL the 23 UNIGHT Aberdeen venues! If so excluded, attempted re-entry results in your arrest!!

Banned from ONE, Banned from ALL! Please think....IS IT WORTH IT?

Violent Offenders Face Court Ordered Ban

Tue 07 Jun 2011 - submited by Shelly Wall

Revellers caught committing violent crime in Aberdeen could face a court ordered ban from city centre pubs and clubs under a new initiative, police said today.

The move will see officers work together with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and the licensed trade to further reduce violence and antisocial behaviour in the city.

Chief Inspector George Macdonald said: Due to our positive working relations with a number of partners, we have witnessed a significant reduction in violent crime and antisocial behaviour throughout Aberdeen City. The City Centre in particular has seen serious assaults drop by over thirty percent in the last three years but we know that there is absolutely no room for complacency and the joint working and focus will continue.

We are committed to building on this progress and make no apologies for the strong stance we are taking on this issue. The vast majority of people who come into the city centre to enjoy a night out, do so responsibly and return home safely.

Time and again however, we see the same few individuals involved in a disproportionate number of incidents, almost always related to alcohol abuse.

This minority who cannot control their behaviour, will be targeted and the use of these court ordered exclusions sends a clear signal that it will not be tolerated by Grampian Police, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the local licensed trade or the people of Aberdeen.

Chief Inspector Macdonald added: Alcohol fuelled behaviour places additional strain on the emergency services, not simply at the time of the incident, but in the case of NHS Grampian, for example, the ongoing treatment can stretch into the days, weeks, and months afterwards. When you factor the impact on victims, family and employers the behaviour of this minority should not be underestimated.

Our message is clear - control your drinking and your temper or you will find yourself legally barred from entering not just one venue but all of those within a specified area. Aberdeen is a vibrant and safe city and we are committed to maintaining and improving that position.

Andrew Richardson, Procurator Fiscal for Aberdeen said, We will ask the court to exclude those convicted of violent offences from the licensed premises where the crime has taken place. We will also ask the court to exclude them from other late night venues in the centre of Aberdeen. This will ensure that the vast majority of revellers can enjoy a safe night out without it being spoiled by an anti-social minority.
The exclusion orders part of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 also enhance the current scheme operated by Unight Aberdeen, a group of licensed premises in the city who have joined together to introduce a barred from one, barred from all policy in or around one of their venues.

Mark Donlevy of Unight Aberdeen said: Unight Aberdeens members are committed to working towards a safe and vibrant nightlife within the city centre of Aberdeen.

The group works hard to ensure that joy and revelry of party goers is not affected by the small minority of people who are in involved in anti-social behaviour and violence within the city centre.

Further to the ongoing banning and sharing of information on known and convicted troublemakers, Unight Aberdeen is now working alongside various agencies with the aim to make the presence of these errant individuals within the city centre not only unwelcome but also a condition legally forced upon them.

Speaking on behalf of Aberdeen Excise License Holders Association, Jack Dempster said: We fully support the use of Exclusion Orders in respect of violent offenders either in or around Licensed Premises.

Our members are continually trying to improve the environment of their premises and the last thing they need is violent behaviour, and all the issues that come with that, detracting from their efforts. Whilst violent behaviour is thankfully not the norm, it is important to get the message out that it will not be tolerated, and that our members will stick together in this regard.

Rigid implementation of the Exclusion Orders will, we feel, go a long way to hopefully reducing such violent behaviour and towards making the city a safer place for everyone.

Chris Fowler of Unight Aberdeen said he expected the Exclusion Orders to have a tremendous impact. He said: A troublesome few have caused substantial or repeated, violence, distress and damage. If these people are deterred from entering the various licensed member venues this will have a tremendous impact on improving the already rising standards all our venues in the city strive for.

Sandy Kelman, of the Aberdeen City Alcohol & Drugs Partnership, added: I fully support the use of this legislation to combat alcohol related violence and disorder.

Night bus service in Aberdeen

Wed 25 Aug 2010 - submited by Shelly Wall

Be safe on your journey home, if you have not saved money for a taxi or dont want to wait in the queue take the bus instead for a flat rate of £2.20.

http://firstgroup.com/ukbus/pdfs/transport_guide.pdf

This link will take you to the Aberdeen city public transport guide where you can see a detailed map showing all the night time bus routes the pickup point's and times the buses leave the city centre.

Legal high Naphyrone to be a Class B d

Wed 04 Aug 2010 - submited by Shelly Wall

Naphyrone which is often called NRG1 and its related compounds will become Class B drugs from Friday July 23, 2010. The drug, which has no known legitimate use, will be banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The legislation includes a generic definition to prevent unscrupulous drug manufacturers tweaking the chemical structure in an attempt to get around the law. Home Office ministers statement. Minister for Crime Prevention James Brokenshire said: The government is deeply concerned about the use of legal highs which is why we took swift action to ban this new drug. There is also clear evidence that just because a substance advertised as a legal high does not mean this is the case.

Anyone buying a legal high is putting their health at risk and could be committing a criminal offence. Penalties and rules on importing naphyrone. Class B drugs carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison for possession and 14 years in prison for supply, alongside an unlimited fine. The import of naphyrone and its related compounds have already been banned and UKBA have detained 3.5 kg of the suspected substances since the ban came into force on 7 July. The control of these substances follows advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) on 7 July 2010. The ACMD continue to look at the use of so called legal highs as a priority. Notes to editors.

Naphyrone will become a Class B drug from 0001 on Friday 23 July 2010 To view ACMD report visit: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/drugs/acmd1/naphyrone-report. Following receipt of ACMD advice on naphyrone on 7 July it was subjected to an immediate importation ban. This allowed the UK Border Agency to seize and destroy naphyrone and certain related compounds under the Open General Import Licence where it is imported without a licence. The legislation will include generic compounds to prevent suppliers easily switching to new versions of the substance. View the legislation at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/dsi14-07. The substances will be banned under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 as Class B drugs.

The Frank website and 24 hour helpline provides information and advice on a range of drugs and legal highs, including naphyrone, it can be found at: www.talktofrank.com For more information contact the Home Office press office on 020 7035 3535.

Nightspots winning fight on crime

Thu 20 May 2010 - submited by Shelly Wall

Published Date: 19 May 2010
By BRIAN FERGUSON

SERIOUS crime in Edinburghs nightclubs and late-night bars has been slashed in the three years since nightspots joined in a self-policing initiative.

The number of assaults in and around nightclubs and late night bars in Edinburgh has been vastly reduced due to the self-policing initiative. Picture: TSPL

Dozens of members of the Unight scheme agreed to operate a joint banning policy targeting regular troublemakers in a move believed to be the first of its kind in the UK.

New figures have revealed a plunge in offences involving drugs, weapons, assault and theft in the nightspots that signed up to the venture. Possession of drugs has gone down 82.9 per cent, while supply of drugs has slumped by 94.6.

The total number of crimes reported in the 45 premises run by Unight members dropped from 1,546 in 2007 to 944 last year a reduction of 38.5 per cent.

Better training for door staff, pro-active campaigns against drugs and violence and growing intelligence sharing between nightspots have all been credited with the scheme's success.

Figures released earlier this year revealed that police are called out to deal with more than 150 crimes every week in all of Edinburghs pubs and clubs.

Some 8,025 individual incidents were reported to the force last year, compared with 4,500 call-outs in 2007, with thefts and minor assaults making up the vast majority of incidents. However, these figures include every pub within the city boundary, and it is thought some of the more problematic licensed premises lie outwith the city centre.

Under the schemes data-sharing system, CCTV images of drug-takers or violent customers are sent to other clubs. Offenders are then given a banning letter prohibiting them from entering any of the venues involved in the scheme, with the minimum order lasting three months.

Among those banned from Edinburgh nightspots under the scheme was Hibernian star Derek Riordan, who was caught three times trying to sneak into venues while serving a two-year ban.

The schemes members also introduced bans on irresponsible drinks promotions and so-called legal high drugs before laws were passed.

Superintendent Donnie MacKinnon, from Lothian and Borders Police, said: With any relatively new scheme like this you are always likely to see some element of displacement, but the crucial thing about Unight is virtually every club in the city has signed up to it.

The figures for the Unight members speak for themselves, and as far as were concerned it has had a hugely positive effect. Aberdeen has since launched its own scheme, and we understand other parts of the country are also looking to follow suit.

Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said: The member clubs of Unight have led by example in tackling binge drinking in Edinburgh by banning promotions that clearly do nothing but encourage people to get out of their heads.

Getting rid of these irresponsible promotions is an approach that is clearly working. It is just one of many good things being done by Unight and a great example of the licensed trade working closely with police to make Edinburghs night-time economy safer and more enjoyable for everyone

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