Concern over sexual assaults and violence at Weymouth Pleasure Pier
40 incidents have been recorded since Easter
Reports of sexual assaults and violence taking place on Weymouth’s Pleasure Pier could be escalated to the police for investigation.
Independent harbours board member Lee Hardy says he is concerned about an apparent lack of action over the issue – apart from noting it, along with anti-social behaviour, in an official report.
He told Wednesday’s committee that the allegations were a serious matter and should be treated seriously: “That is criminal behaviour. That is beyond anti-social or disruptive behaviour – it is pure criminal activity,” he said, interrupting the meeting to stop the report simply being noted by the meeting.
“If it’s happening on our patch we need to be concerned about it… we just can’t ignore it, and I wouldn’t want us to ignore it,” he said, adding that while what was being reported might be hearsay, every report of a crime was exactly that until it was investigated and concluded.
The initial mention of sexual assault between teenagers had come from a Dorset Council social worker and was included in a safety report about the Pleasure Pier.
Harbours committee chairman Cllr Mark Robert said he would investigate escalating the concerns after talking with the harbour team and others.
The meeting heard that consideration was now being given, because of on-going problems around the Pleasure Pier, to installing a gate and fencing to keep people out during the evenings and overnight.
The meeting heard that throughout the summer there have been repeated reports, mostly involving teenagers, of jumping from the pier and a range of anti-social behaviour. Staff who intervene are often met with verbal abuse and threats of violence.
Said a report to the harbours committee: “Recently a member of staff in a patrol vessel had items thrown at him while he attempted to communicate with persons jumping from the steps. Since the start of the good weather following Easter this year, harbour staff have attended over 40 notable and recorded incidents at the Pleasure Pier.”
The report says that the almost daily incidents, many of which also involved the police, is putting a strain on the harbour team and affecting their mental health.
Said the report: “Items of rubbish, usually brought by groups of the offenders, are set on fire. Life rings are frequently removed and deliberately hidden or thrown into the sea… “The anti-social behaviour is often fuelled by drug and alcohol abuse, with drug taking paraphernalia, and broken glass from bottles of alcohol being found and cleared up by harbour staff on a very regular basis and causing a persistent risk to the public.”
The report says that the concerns are that either a serious injury or death could occur because of the pier jumping, unless it is stopped.
“Those that intentionally jump from the pier may be at risk of serious injury or death due to the vessels entering and leaving the harbour one side, and rocks and low water levels the other side. Debris has in the past been thrown into the water which may cause a further risk of injury to those jumping in, or entering the water to recover them, or to vessels passing by.”
Measures to stop pier jumping and other anti-social behaviour on the Pleasure Pier, including barring access, is reported to have the support of the town’s Community Safety Team.