Detective warns of underage drinking

A TOP Suffolk inspector today launched a poster campaign warning people of the dangers of underage drinking.

The perils are graphically illustrated on the latest Nightsafe poster that will be on display in pubs and clubs in the next few weeks.

The 'Who's responsible' poster shows a young girl collapsed on the pavement from the effects of alcohol, vulnerable, alone and worse-for-wear.

Detective chief inspector Phil Aves said underage drinking is an issue no one can afford to ignore.

He said: “Although the poster features a young girl, the message equally relates to boys. We are definitely seeing an increase in underage drinking both on the street and in licenced premises and the poster does pose the question about who should be taking responsibility.

“The other side of this is once drinkers are intoxicated they become very vulnerable both in terms of criminality and personal safety. The poster portrays a young girl who is very intoxicated but this is a model and we had parental consent to do the shots. Do other parents realise that their child may really be this vulnerable?

“Police officers see this picture in reality all the time and deal with the consequences - including allegations of rape and assault. The truth is we all - parents, friends, suppliers, licensees, retailers and the drinker themselves - have a role to play in dealing with the issue.”

The poster also carries the new Community Intelligence Hotline number - 0800 783 9112 - which residents can call if they have information about underage drinking, such as where young people are acquiring alcohol or where there is a particular problem.

Nightsafe is a countywide campaign that sees police working with partner agencies to tackle alcohol-related violent crime, disorder and damage. The poster has been produced with trading standards.