ATTORNEY GENERAL HAILS DRUG-BUSTING SCHEME

A pilot scheme in Oxfordshire which resulted in thousands of
pounds worth of drugs being seized in police raids is to be rolled out
across the UK.

Police told of their success using information from the Thames Valley
Crown Prosecution Service antisocial behaviour audit, when Attorney
General Lord Peter Goldsmith visited Oxford yesterday.

Lord Goldsmith came to Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre to hear about the
audit's results. People in Blackbird Leys, Oxford city centre and
Adderbury, near Banbury, were interviewed for the survey, which aimed
to raise awareness of the CPS and to help tackle antisocial behaviour.

Lord Goldsmith said: "The pilot has demonstrated how it works if we
engage the community and understand what is troubling them. It works
best if all the agencies work together, not just the prosecutors, but
also police, police community support officers and street wardens.
continued...

"I want my prosecuting authority to learn the best lessons and see how
we can apply this across the country."

Blackbird Leys neighbourhood policing officer, Pc Martyn Wills, said:
"We have had good results tackling drug dealers.

"My colleagues raided a house and found 40 wraps of crack
cocaine.

"Two or three weeks before, we had a joint operation with colleagues
from Rose Hill and found cannabis plants worth a street value of about
UKP4,000."

He said the drugs raids happened as a direct result of information
from the survey. The Oxford Mail reported the drugs raids, one of
which took place in Skylark Place, Blackbird Leys, in April and the
other in Lenthall Road, Rose Hill.

Lord Goldsmith heard how the survey had benefited Blackbird Leys
residents.

A 53-year-old Balfour Road resident, who asked not to be named, said:
"One of our neighbours had serious mental health problems. Under
normal circumstances they would have put an Antisocial Behaviour Order
on her, but instead the PCSOs got mental health agencies involved. It
is good the CPS were involved - they are not just some faceless lawyers."

Thames Valley CPS chief crown prosecutor Baljit Ubhey said: "I think
the pilot has gone brilliantly. The joint working has been amazing. We
have had so much support from the city council, the police and the
local communities."