THE UNSAVOURY sight of weekend drunkards urinating in doorways could become a thing of the past thanks to a crack-down by a council in Essex.

James Hore

THE UNSAVOURY sight of weekend drunkards urinating in doorways could become a thing of the past thanks to a crack-down by a council in Essex.

It seems that some drinkers in the town of Maldon prefer to use shop and house doorways as urinals, causing distress to residents.

One person from the Baker Mews development was so unhappy with the ongoing problem that he raised the issue at Essex Police Authority's annual meeting.

Maldon District Council is now, at the request of the police, considering adopting a byelaw to ban public displays of waterworks and has even come up with an “offender profile” with men aged 18 to 35 the most likely to be responsible in the period after closing time at pubs.

According to a council report, it is an “ongoing problem.”

It states: “Incidents occur frequently and this behaviour increases during the summer months.

“It is difficult to establish an exact number of incidents reported as often complaints are reported formally and informally to police. “As an example over the weekend, January 15 2009, three incidents were reported to the police.

“This anti-social behaviour causes distress to residents and leaves an unpleasant smell in commercial and residential doorways and streets.”

However, current efforts to tackle the problem have come unstuck because the legislation being used needs to show the offence would cause alarm, harassment or distress.

According to the council, the Crown Prosecution Service has started rejecting attempts to use this legislation because it also requires proof of “disorder” to accompany the act.

A new byelaw banning people from going to the toilet in public is now on the cards and contravention would be a criminal offence, punishable with a fine of up to �500.

Police patrols are set to enforce the changes and the council would be responsible for prosecuting with first time offenders set to be cautioned whilst those who don't learn their lesson will be prosecuted.

The council is due to meet on February 4 to discuss the issue.

james.hore@eadt.co.uk