First ever gang injunction granted in Greater Manchester

The first ever gang injunction has been granted in Greater Manchester.

The civil order was successfully granted today, Friday 9 December 2011, at Manchester County Court: the first time this new piece of legislation has been used in Greater Manchester.

Under the terms of the injunction, the individual will not be identified to protect both themselves and their family.

Greater Manchester Police, along with its partner agencies the Greater Manchester Police Probation Authority, Manchester City Council and the Manchester Multi-Agency Gang Strategy (MAGS), applied for the injunction.

The measures were introduced by the Government in January 2011 as another tool to help police and local authorities tackle gang-related violence.

One of the key features of the injunctions is that they are tailored to each individual.

The orders can place restrictions on people known to be involved in gang-related violence - for example they can be barred from entering certain neighbourhoods that are particularly volatile or where gang tensions are high, or from wearing ‘gang colours’ in public - in order to minimise the risk of further violence.

However, just as importantly, the injunctions can also be used to protect that individual. Under the terms of the order, they can be required to take part in positive activities designed to change their lifestyle and steer them away from gangs and violence, such as mentoring schemes.

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Shenton, head of Greater Manchester Police's Serious Crime Division, said: "This is the first time we have used these injunctions and it is ground-breaking for everyone involved. Gangs cause significant and lasting harm to our communities through fuelling violence, creating an atmosphere of fear and drawing young people into criminality and we welcome anything that will help us tackle those problems.

"Both ourselves and our partner agencies are working very hard to tackle the issue of gangs and violence in our communities, and in the past few years we have secured some excellent convictions - and lengthy sentences - of key gang members.

"However, we know there is still a lot of work to do to eradicate the problem of gang culture and these injunctions are another effective tool to help us do that. We have to recognise that not only do we need to tackle violence, but that we have a responsibility to try and encourage people to break free from gangs and chose a different lifestyle. These injunctions allow us to both safeguard our communities and minimise the risk of violence, but also encourage those involved to take positive steps to break out of that cycle of gangs and violence."

The injunctions are civil orders and are not criminal convictions. However, a breach of the injunction is punishable by up to two years in prison or an unlimited fine.

"Where there is enough evidence, we will always seek to pursue prosecutions of those involved in serious gang violence,” Detective Chief Superintendent Shenton added.

"The injunctions will not replace criminal convictions or the way we deal with violent offenders, but are just another tool to disrupt gang activities and try and educate people and divert them to choose another path in life.

"That is where these injunctions can be extremely effective, because in the first instance they do not criminalise someone but give them the opportunity and support to leave gangs while at the same time removing them from dangerous situations where they or other people could be at serious risk of harm."