Two women from Gloucester receive civil injunction orders following persistent drug use

Two women from Gloucester have been served with civil injunction orders following their persistent drug use in the city centre.

Aimee Carter, 30 and of no fixed abode and Claire Bament, 36 and of London Road received the injunctions at the Gloucester and Cheltenham County Court yesterday (Thursday 12 March).

The court heard how on Wednesday 29 January, City Protection officers found the pair injecting themselves in the stairwell of Longsmith Street car park in Gloucester.

Members of the public were forced to step over their empty alcohol bottles and drug injecting paraphernalia whilst leaving the car park.

The case was brought to the court by Solace, a joint team of officers from Gloucestershire Constabulary and Gloucester City Council.

The orders against Carter and Bament forbid them from:

1. Engaging in conduct which causes or is capable of causing alarm or harassment or distress to any person within the city of Gloucester

2. Being in a public place with an open bottle, can or cup containing alcohol

3. Obstructing the highway by sitting, standing or squatting on the footpath or street or public highway within the city of Gloucester and within the area outlined in blue on the map attached

4. Entering or being in the area outlined blue on the map attached at any time

5. Having on public view any syringes or needles within the city of Gloucester

The orders are in place until 4pm on 12 March 2021 and any breaches could result in the pair being sent to prison.

Sergeant Ash Shingler from the Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing team said: “Solace do a fantastic job in reinforcing the police’s approach to this kind of issue. 

"The injunctions against Carter and Bament highlight our zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour and ensures we are continually working to keep people safe from harm.

"It is essential that members of the public can go about their daily life without being subjected to such behaviour and both women will also be signposted accordingly around their own vulnerabilities to further reduce this type of activity in the future."

Solace officer PC Kelly Mansell said: "Solace work alongside the Neighbourhood policing team to address anti-social behaviour in the city centre, we proactively try to encourage people to seek support from partner agencies to deter them from negative behaviour.

"In addition to this we have a duty to protect members of the public who should not have to witness persons using drugs or be placed at risk of harm from used needles.

"We want to send a clear message that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated in our city."