playing football in the street

[gaz150]

i\'ve got a big problem with teenagers playing ball outside my house in the street, we have reported it to the police but nothing seems to stop them and they have hit my car on a number of occasions and our front window\'s, would i be able to take they\'re parents to a county court to recoup any cost to repair my car or property,and would i able to get solicitors letter sent the they\'re parents house\'s to warn them of this fact

[New Judge]

First, the easy part. Playing games in the street is contrary to the Highways Act of 1971. Plain and simple.

Now the difficult part – enforcement. The police usually do not want to know, especially if children are the miscreants. Their argument usually is that the offence is only punishable by way of a fine, children cannot be fined, end of story. The local authority may be willing to take an interest. It varies across the country.

You need to adopt a two pronged approach. Firstly contact your local neighbourhood policing team. If they are unwilling to take an interest, raise the matter with the Borough (or area) Commander. The police do have an obligation to investigate your complaint. They will need help identifying the culprits and may then approach them individually to tell them what the law says.

Also contact your local authority. They too may be interested.

The idea that this problem may be dealt with by way of an ASBO is a little optimistic. The road to ASBO imposition is long and arduous (despite what the government may have you think) and in many cases should not be necessary.

You will have to be persistent, however, and generally make such a nuisance of yourself that the authorities eventually realise it is easier for them to take some action than to continually deal with your complaints.

[Buenchico]

Contrary to what NJ writes, playing football in the street is not (per se) an offence. It only becomes so when it's done 'to the annoyance of a user of the highway'. (Section 161 (3) of the Highways Act 1980). So the police would require a complaint from someone actually using the road (rather than sitting in their house with their car parked outside it) in order to act under the relevant legislation.

Chris