A public protection order in Criccieth has been extended to cover all of the town in a bid to crack down on anti-social behaviour in the area.

North Wales Police says Gwynedd Council has granted the amendments which will be in place until August 2027.

District Inspector Iwan Jones said: “I am grateful of the support from the Community Safety Partnership for assisting in extending the PSPO area and the community of Criccieth who provided feedback at the most recent consultation.

“A lot of work has been done recently between police and partners to create a problem orientated policing plan which has secured youth intervention work alongside our Design Out Crime officer reviewing community safety measures.

“PSPOs are a crucial tool for policing and have previously proven to deter incidents of antisocial behaviour.

“We hope that we will not have to utilise the PSPO powers. However, we will continue to work with the local council to remain vigilant to any anti-social behaviour issues and take action on any breaches of the order.”

A breach of the PSPO is a criminal offence and is dealt with by way of Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution through the Magistrates’ Court.

PSPOs were introduced in Pwllheli, Criccieth and Caernarfon last year in response to ‘new and increasing types of anti-social behaviour’, Cyngor Gwynedd said.

The Criccieth order in August only covered the seafront, but has now been extended to cover the whole town.

The orders give police additional powers to tackle specific nuisances or issues, with the aim of improving the lives of residents and visitors to the area.

The PSPOs are designed to target behaviour that is likely to cause harassment, loitering in a state of intoxication and consuming alcohol in the area.

When the orders were first introduced in August last year, Cllr Dilwyn Morgan, Cyngor Gwynedd Cabinet Member with responsibility for community safety, said: “The introduction of the Orders follows extensive consultation with the community and partners.

“The PSPOs will be an important tool to tackle anti-social behaviour, but they are only one part of the solution. Cyngor Gwynedd will continue to work closely with our partners from North Wales Police and the wider community to tackle anti-social behaviour and support law-abiding people as they go about their everyday lives.

“I cannot emphasise enough that these three areas of Gwynedd are safe and pleasant places to live, work and visit and that the vast majority of people there have never been involved in any sort of anti-social behaviour and the new Orders will not stop people socialising and accessing and enjoying public spaces.

“The purpose of the Orders is to make it easier for the authorities to tackle the small minority of people involved in anti-social behaviour, ensuring that our communities continue to be safe, open and vibrant areas that everyone can enjoy and feel safe in.”

Gwynedd Chief Inspector Steve Pawson said in August: "The PSPO's will assist the policing teams when dealing with individuals who persistently behave in an anti-social manner.”