First national pub ban issued under new DBO powers
A West Midlands woman is believed to be the first to get a nation-wide pub ban under powers introduced last September.
Laura Hall has been issued with a Drinking Banning Order by magistrates. It bans her from drinking or buying alcohol in pubs and nightclubs, or from purchasing alcohol in shops and off licences, across England and Wales for two years.
The order could be lifted after one year if she completes a course, which is compulsory, to tackle her alcohol misuse.
Police applied for the DBO after Hall, formerly of the Stoke Heath area of Bromsgrove, was involved in "numerous" alcohol-related public order offences in and around the Bromsgrove area. She was already banned under the local pubwatch and BAND (Bromsgrove Against Night-time Disorder) schemes.
Sergeant David Roberts said: "While there have been some Drinking Banning Orders issued already since their introduction last year, this is the first to be issued on a nationwide basis and it effectively bans Laura Hall from drinking or buying alcohol in any licensed premises across the whole of England and Wales.
"It is also the first DBO to be issued in the West Mercia Police force area.
"We chose to use this new legislation as a way of helping address Laura's offending behaviour, and we very much hope that rather than seeing it as a punishment, she will use it as an opportunity to get her life back on track."
"The conditions of the order will also help to protect the public in Bromsgrove and the surrounding area from the anti-social effects of Laura's behaviour and we hope they will feel reassured to learn this DBO is in place."
