ALMOST one-third of people arrested by police in Hyndburn last year were drunk or had been on the booze.

The increasing role of alcohol in crime was revealed by Superintendent Malcolm Rawcliffe in his report to the annual meeting of Hyndburn licensing magistrates.

During 1996 there was a total of 4,331 arrests for all categories of offences, well up on the 3,688 total arrests in 1995.

Of the 4,331 arrested people, 1,237, or 28.5 per cent, had either had drink or were drunk when detained.

Superintendent Rawcliffe said: "That's a very high figure and goes some way to showing the effect alcohol has both in terms of public tranquillity and crime generally."

His report for the Accrington Division also revealed a huge increase in the number of arrests for drunkenness offences up from 174 in 1995 to 291 arrests last year with 208 people prosecuted and 83 cautioned. Superintendent Rawcliffe put the "extremely large" increase down to the success of the town centre closed circuit TV system resulting in more arrests not only for drunkenness but violent crimes.

Police were also toughening up on loutish behaviour that the public were so concerned about, said the Superintendent.

"We encourage Accrington police officers to take a fairly tough line on disorder generally and particularly in the town centre," he added.

On drink-driving in the Hyndburn area for the whole of 1996, there were 817 breath tests which resulted in 193 prosecutions.

Almost a quarter testing positively was worrying said Superintendent Rawcliffe but he was pleased to note that during the Christmas drink-drive campaign there were only 15 prosecutions following 250 breath tests.

During the year there had been 203 reported offences associated with licensed premises, including 48 woundings and other similar offences, almost one a week.

The overall conduct of licensed premises had been satisfactory but certain establishments had attracted particular attention with informal warnings to licensees on 21 occasions and two instances where the licensee was brought to the station for a more formal warning.

Proceedings were started against three licensees, one involving an off-licence selling to young people, one for being drunk on licensed premises and another for after-hours drinking.

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