Anti-social behaviour figures reach a five-year high with over 15,000 cases in 2020.
LOCKDOWN breaches have led to a spike in anti-social behaviour across Cardiff as official figures reveal the number of incidents has risen by 64%.
Anti-social behaviour has now reached a five-year high with 15,545 incidents recorded in 2020.
“The force has strived to maintain a consistent policing style of engaging, explaining and encouraging people to follow the rules,” said the South Wales Police.
They added that police officers enforce the rules “as a last resort where necessary when repeat or blatant breaches occur”.
Before the pandemic, anti-social behaviour had been on a steady decline since 2017.
But the enforcement of these new Coronavirus regulations has seen anti-social behaviour incidents skyrocket to the highest sum in the last five years.
Anti-social behaviour makes up almost a third of street crimes recorded in Cardiff during 2020.
“Covid breaches and reports are recorded as anti-social behaviour so this will be reflected in the crime statistics,” said the South Wales Police.
But Senedd member Neil McEvoy is concerned there’s more to it than that.
“The police need to get back to fighting crime, not wasting time chasing fines from people who are acting lawfully,” he said.
“I’m really concerned about what’s happening to our democracy now.”
Mr McEvoy has previously had a run in with the police over an alleged breach of COVID regulations.
South Wales Police since visited Mr McEvoy’s Welsh Parliament office to read him his rights and issue a fine, claiming he broke the law by allegedly delivering political leaflets in his Cardiff West constituency.
“I will not be paying the fine as I have not broken any laws,” said Mr McEvoy.
South Wales Police claims that Mr McEvoy breached Coronavirus regulations by leaving his home without a reasonable excuse on two occasions.
However, Mr McEvoy refutes this claim.
“I will not be paying the fine as I have not broken any laws,” he said.
“I will not be paying this unjust fine and will take this to court. The Chief Constable of South Wales Police really needs to consider his position if these are his policing priorities.”
During 2020 South Wales Police issued more than 425 coronavirus fines.
These start off as £60 fixed penalty notices, rising to £120 for a second breach and continuing to rise for further breaches.
More serious offences begin with penalties of £500.
These penalties have cost lockdown breakers across South Wales a minimum of £25,500 to date.
Throughout 2020, spikes of anti-social behaviour erupted during COVID-19 lockdowns as people in Cardiff breached the Stay at Home rules.
After entering the first UK lockdown on March 23, the number of anti-social behaviour incidents recorded in Cardiff tripled.
By May, there were over 2,300 incidents per month, up from just 691 in March.
But with Welsh Government guidance changing to Stay Local from March 13, coronavirus regulations have become more difficult than ever to enforce.
According to the new guidelines, people in Wales are now able to travel within 5 miles of their home. But with those living in rural areas allowed to travel further, these new rules are more open to interpretation.
That makes it far more difficult to police.
And confusion over the new lockdown regulations isn’t helping matters.
“I had to check,” said Michael McGrath, a 67-year-old landscape gardener from Cardiff.
“I’m from here – Cardiff. But I thought about it twice and looked it up.”
Along with many locals, Michael was enjoying a bit of sunshine at Cardiff Bay this week, where previously you could find a regular police patrol clamping down on COVID rule breakers.
“I think it’s a good idea,” he said about the new regulations.
“But they should definitely open all the toilets up and washing areas – it’s common sense. It’s absolutely ludicrous that people can go out walking but if you get caught short you can’t wash your hands. They say ‘always wash your hands’. But you can’t do it.
“Once COVID has dropped a bit more, perhaps then they’ll extend it to ten miles.”
“It’s roughly five miles, which is okay. said Kevin Murphy, a 55-year-old engineer from Llandaff North. “Apparently longer if you live up in the sticks where five miles is just the end of your farm. It seems okay.
“The devil is in the detail, isn’t it? You must Stay at Home, except, except, except… and now it’s Stay Local. Stay Local and then it’s up to them to decide what local means.”
Kevin was a bit more sceptical about whether the new regulations are helping local businesses.
Having been involved in refitting shop floors at the start of the pandemic, he’s seen the hard work that goes into adhering to all the new coronavirus regulations.
“I don’t think it’s helping local businesses at all,” he said.
“Jumping through hoops with the two-metre distance and one-way systems. It’s just hard work for everybody.
“Maybe we’ll enjoy the summer before the third wave hits, it’ll be great fun.”
