TOUGH new powers to stop troublemakers terrorising neighbours and causing havoc on the streets are being used by police to crackdown on antisocial behaviour.

In recent months, officers in Basildon and Southend have been using dispersal orders, which ban people congregating in certain streets and near certain buildings.

Last week, the orders were put in place in Southend High Street after officers were continuously called to the area to deal with up to 15-strong gangs of teenagers taking drugs, carrying weapons and terrorising traders and shoppers.

Sgt Ian Hughes, from the community policing team, said the initiative had been a success, leading to one 14-year-old boy receiving a criminal behaviour order (CBO) banning him from the area.

Mr Hughes said: “We have carried out a lot of patrols with the street rangers and the street engagement team from the Youth Offending Service.

“Retailers have also played a part. McDonald’s is pulling its own weight by employing a security guard.

“There were potential drugs being used, offensive weapons being possessed and general intimidation of both the shoppers as well as the retailers themselves.

“It had its desired effect which was as a deterrent.

“There were no arrests directly for breaking the order, but we had a couple of arrests for possession of offensive weapons, drugs and assaults.

“One of the perpetrators has been caught and he was served an interim CBO that lasts until February.

“The orders only last for 48 hours at a time and have to be authorised by a senior officer.

“There haven’t been any for the last week because they seem to have had the desired effect. We are just making sure that we are using it appropriately.”

In Basildon, the community policing team made High Pavement, which links Great Oaks car park and the town centre, a dispersal zone after groups of eight or nine teenagers caused a nuisance to shoppers and businesses.

The yobs have been taking drugs and breaking lifts by jumping up and down inside.

PC Marek Jaworski said: “We carried out another dispersal order between 11am last Saturday and 1am on the Sunday and we issued six notices to leave, which was for a particular group of people in High Pavement at 1.45pm.

“They were in the stairwell climbing the framework.

“We decided to put in place the dispersal order then because it is traditionally very busy in the town centre on Saturdays and we tend to get a gathering of people there.”

In May, officers were granted a two-day dispersal order to stop reckless boy racers causing misery to nearby residents and business owners, after they were tipped off from members of the public.

Modified cars were expected to gather in the car park at the huge Tesco supermarket and nearby Pitsea Retail Park, off High Road.

Despite the Echo revealing the order would be in place across the weekend, modified car enthusiasts still turned up and were moved on by officers.

In December last year, yobs were banned from Southend town centre after traders voiced concerns about groups of more than 20 youths gathering in Clarence Street since the summer, climbing on roofs, abusing passers-by, intimidating staff, spraying graffiti and vandalising property.