Dispersal order in place at Chasewater following reports of illegal rave

Officers have issued a dispersal order following reports of an illegal rave due to take place in one of the county’s beauty spots this weekend.

Staffordshire Police have put a dispersal order in place in the Chasewater area following a number of reports indicating an illegal gathering would be held there.

Under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, officers have the power to disperse anyone for the purpose of or reducing the likelihood of members of the public in the locality being harassed, alarmed, distressed or the occurrence of crime and disorder.

The order – which could see those breaching it arrested and prosecuted - started at 9pm tonight (Saturday 20 June) and will last until 9am on Sunday 21 June. It applies to the areas surrounding Chasewater, Norton Canes, Brownhills and Heath Hayes. 

Officers will be in those areas and carrying out high visibility patrols over the course of the weekend.

Chief Superintendent Carl Ratcliffe, Head of Contact and Response for Staffordshire Police said: “We are in an unprecedented time and we won’t accept anyone putting our communities at risk by holding these illegal raves.

“We have been very open with how we will deal with those caught organising and attending these gatherings and this order will help us in ensuring those not adhering to the law are identified and robustly dealt with.

“We again urge anyone considering attending an illegal rave to stop and think because you will also be endangering the health of yourselves and others.”