Greater Manchester Police - a deliberate and total failure to maintain public order

The Government introduced major changes in licensing with the Licensing Act 2003. Section 141 made it an offence to sell alcohol to a drunken person.

On 19th March this year Mark Hoban MP asked the Home Office how many prosecutions for sale of alcohol to a drunk person have been pursued in each criminal justice area in each of the last 10 years; and how many resulted in conviction.

In Greater Manchester there were no prosecutions in 2005 and 3 in 2006.

Central Manchester is a zone where public drinking is forbidden.

Yesterday, tens of thousands of football fans invaded the city centre , attracted by the provision of free entertainment and were allowed to ignore this law. The consequences for public disorder were predicted and predictable.

The Licensing Act was designed to provide the Police with powers to regulate licensees - they have totally failed in their duty to ensure public peace and order.