Police used Section 61 powers to remove an unauthorised encampment from Winchester South Park and Ride yesterday, working alongside Winchester City Council partners to address the situation affecting local amenities.
Hampshire Constabulary officers deployed powers under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 on Tuesday (18 June) to direct the group to vacate the site and remove their vehicles and belongings.
The legislation permits police to take such action when specific criteria are met, including when communities lose access to local facilities, significant environmental damage occurs, local economic disruption arises, substantial community or environmental disturbance takes place, or life-threatening situations require preventative measures.
Non-compliance with Section 61 directions constitutes a criminal offence.
After assessing the circumstances at the Winchester location, officers determined the legal threshold had been reached and exercised their powers. The encampment has since been cleared.
Acting Police Sergeant Sean Davies commented: “We consistently ensure we balance the needs and rights of all communities whilst taking proportionate, lawful and necessary action.
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“We collaborate closely with landowners and partner agencies to maintain a firm approach towards unauthorised encampments within legal frameworks.
“Our partnership efforts also focus on identifying recurring locations where criminal activity or disorder has occurred, enabling us to implement targeted security measures at these sites.”
The operation concluded successfully with the group’s departure from the area.
