Curbing violent scenes on city centre streets across Britain is the aim of the Government's latest attempt to deal with alcohol-related crime. Forty per cent of crime is linked to alcohol - 78 per cent of assaults and 88 per cent of criminal damage cases also involve alcohol. Among the proposals to be announced will be a fixed penalty fine for drunken offenders - similar to those imposed for driving offences. When the Prime Minister floated the idea last month during a speech in Germany, he suggested that offenders would be taken to cash points on the spot. But when police groups raised concerns about the practicalities of the scheme, Downing Street were forced to make an embarrassing U-turn on immediate cash point fines.
Many local authorities have by-laws which target drinking in public.
Manchester is the first city in the country to allow its police to seize alcohol from street drinkers. The Government's recent crime initiatives have been criticised by the Conservatives as spin over substance. With crime likely to be a key issue in the run-up to the General Election, Downing Street knows that the latest action bank will be scrutinised closely by all concerned. Driving over the limit, public drunkenness and some 20 other offences are crimes that can only be committed while under the influence of drink. Many offenders blame their criminal acts on alcohol.