Hard line taken against travellers (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Hard line taken against travellers

A HARD line could be taken against travellers who breach a High Court injunction intended to control the number of caravans at Stow-on-the-Wold's gypsy horse fair.

People breaching the injunction, which Cotswold District Council (CDC) obtained in 1995, could be imprisoned a leading barrister has said.

But Tim Straker QC said the document is currently useless and unenforceable for next month's event.

Mr Straker advised CDC that Gloucestershire County Council and the police can enforce the injunction that allows only three caravans to be parked on the gypsy-owned field in neighbouring Maugersbury parish, where the fair is held every May and October, for 28 days annually.

Mr Straker says CDC must first re-publicise the injunction during this October's and next May's fairs so enforcement can start at October 2006's fair.

He advises that closed circuit television could be used to obtain evidence of injunction breaches.

His advice will be considered at Tuesday's special CDC meeting, convened to consider options for managing the one-day fair that attracts thousands of travellers to the Maugersbury Road field.

Many travellers camp and trade on roadsides outside the field, blocking Maugersbury Road with crowds.

Townsfolk are concerned about criminal activity, anti-social behaviour, the travellers' increasingly early arrival and the fair's burgeoning size.

Mr Straker's report to the meeting says CDC could return to court to "refresh" the injunction but the judge may be influenced by previous failure to enforce it.

His report said CDC could alternatively enforce the existing injunction through a staged approach but this must be followed through, otherwise enforcement would be impossible.

He said: "I very much suspect that enforcement will depend on examples being made of some people so that there is a continuing decline in numbers over time."

CDC chief executive Bob Austin's report to the meeting said: "CDC must have a formal commitment from the police to arrest anyone served with committal papers and take them before the High Court."