Birmingham City Council has called for government help, after a bid to tackle gang violence was dealt a blow by the courts.
The council expressed disappointment at the decision to dismiss anti-social injunctions against two gang members, following its appeal hearing in June.
The council called on ministers for help and pledged to take an appeal to the House of Lords.
Birmingham had used its legal powers to get injunctions against two low-level gang members, restricting their movements wearing gang ‘colours’, going into the area they consider to be ‘their’ territory and from associating with other gang members.
But Judge MacDuff, at Birmingham County Court, dismissed the applications, saying the court had no jurisdiction to grant the injunction, despite previous rulings on interim orders.
Officials have been working with local police to target gang crime, and the bloody feuds between rival groups for control of the local drugs trade.
West Midlands police announced in August an ‘untouchables’ unit to target leading gang members.
It follows a spate of high-profile gang shootings linked to groups such as the Johnson Crew and Burger Bar Boys, including the murders of innocent teenagers, Charlene Ellis and Letisha Shakespeare, at a New Year’s party in 2002.
Cllr Ayoub Khan, cabinet member for community safety, said: ‘We are disappointed with the court’s decision.
‘The judgement will limit the use of civil law to protect people from gang violence and anti-social behaviour, but we are committed to using all other means available, including ASBOs, to tackle problems posed by gangs in the city.’
Suzette Davenport, assistant chief constable of West Midlands Police, pledged to continue the strategy. ‘We will continue to apply for anti-social behaviour orders to curb criminal behaviour to help keep our neighbourhoods safer,’ she said.
Protecting the public realm without shutting it down
As Martyn's Law approaches, this free special report from LocalGov and Hill & Smith sets out how councils can protect public spaces without shutting them down.
