UNDER 16s who want to go out in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, between 9pm and 6am will need an adult with them. Police powers allow them to take unaccompanied under-16s home and scatter groups of two or more. If you refuse to do as the police say, you face arrest.

Nick Pickles of Big Brother Watch said:

“Many interventions have been put in place by the police and partners and, although some measures have had some success, nuisance behaviour still persists on an almost daily basis. The common theme that appears to cause the most concern is rowdy, inconsiderate and abusive behaviour. This behaviour is often from people in large groups and has led to members of the public and business community reporting the feeling of being harassed and intimidated. The order is not intended to be applied without discretion; we want to encourage residents and visitors to come into the town centre for retail and leisure.”

Because you feel intimated the people you are scared of – who have committed no crime – are banned. But everyone dislikes teenagers. The curtain-twitchers and old farts loathe them. But thanks to the cops, vivacious, surly, noisy, boisterous, bored, lively youth can be removed from public view. Rather than reducing people’s fear of crime, the police and their “partners” simply reinforce notions that teenagers are criminals waiting to happen. Why else would you need a curfew if it wasn’t because their teenagers were all wrong uns?

And it will help the teens, too. Oh, yes. If an adult is with them, then all is fine. They won’t be peer pressured into smoking, drinking and drugs. Those feckless parents who allow their teenagers out at night will be faced-down by police on their doorsteps. Letting your teenagers out at night might be irresponsible, but now it’s a crime.