STREET drinkers will be faced with antisocial behaviour orders to stop them intimidating people in Southend.

Police are employing a ‘three strikes and your out policy’ to put a stop to issues from drunks and beggars in the town centre.

Officers will patrolling the hotspots around the New Empire Theatre, in Alexandra Street, Sainsbury’s at the top of the High Street, and around the bandstands.

They will be accompanied by drugs and alcohol workers from CRI (Crime Reduction Initiatives) who will offer them help.

If they refuse this help, the next step is for police to issu

e a warning letter telling them not to behave in an antisocial manner. If they are caught again police will take them to court to pursue an antisocial behaviour order.

This means they will be given certain conditions to adhere to, such as not to be drunk in a public place, or to be excluded from a certain area. Any breach of these orders can lead to a jail term.

Insp Bill Potter, of Southend police, said: “We are more than happy to support them in their engagement with services, but if they don’t engage and are being a persitent problem we will pursue antisocial behaviour orders.”