A police officer has been “badly assaulted” during an operation to deal with anti-social behaviour from teenagers in Altrincham town centre.
Inspector Jon Evans, from Greater Manchester Police’s Trafford division, said the officer was knocked to the ground during the incident, which happened on Saturday.
Insp Evans, who called the assault “a disgrace”, said it came as police stepped up efforts to deal with an increase in anti-social behaviour from large groups of teenagers, most between 14 and 17 who have been causing problems in the town since February 8th.
He said they have been coming to Altrincham “from all areas of Trafford and sometimes beyond”, often by tram, and then “stealing alcohol from supermarkets, smoking cannabis and fighting with each other”.
“On Saturday 14th March I arranged additional police officers to be in Altrincham and authorised a power that allows police officers to order the youths to leave the area,” he said.
“One of the officers involved in this operation, whilst tackling these groups, was knocked to the ground and badly assaulted. This is a disgrace.”
Insp Evans said police were collating CCTV evidence “for a range offences and will be visiting all schools in Trafford to identify those responsible”.
He said those identified could expect to be prosecuted or be controlled by the use of civil injunctions.
He appealed for members of the public to send any footage of the groups to traffordsouth@gmp.police.uk.
He added: “Some of the youths in these groups are known to the police, many are not. So to you as parents – do you know where your teenage children were last Saturday, do you know where they will be next Saturday, if not we may be coming to your home soon.”
