Narrowboat owner's noisy parties ASBO

A NARROWBOAT owner has been given a two-year anti-social behaviour order after loud and drunken parties on Nottingham Canal.

Benjamin Andrew Wincott and friends moored their boats outside city venues including Via Fossa, The Waterfront and Baltimore Exchange Bar and Grill and threw open-air parties.

A catalogue of complaints by pub and restaurant staff about the parties – between March and October last year – led to a joint investigation by Nottingham City Community Protection, British Waterways and Notts Police.

Police officers visited Wincott and asked him to step off the boat so they could speak with him about his behaviour.

The 44-year-old swore at the officers, who proceeded to escort him off the boat – then he spat at one of them.

On another occasion, Wincott had to be subdued by officers using a CS spray after they were called to a disturbance at Sainsbury's supermarket at Castle Marina.

He was subsequently arrested for public order offences.

Wincott, of Portland Street, Mansfield, was given a two-year Asbo after appearing at Nottingham Magistrates' Court.

The county-wide conditions forbid him from being abusive or threatening towards any person engaged in lawful activity, playing music which is audible outside his boat causing nuisance to those in the vicinity, having an open container of alcohol in a public space or building, and mooring any boat on the canal between Carrington Street and Castle Bridge Road.

He is also banned from entering the Sainsbury's at Castle Marina Retail Park at any time.

Richard Antcliff, the city council's chief anti-social behaviour officer, said: "Wincott has been forbidden from causing any further nuisance to people and local businesses in the county of Notts.

"I hope this court order stops Wincott from engaging in further anti-social behaviour. "However any breach of the conditions will be enforced by the police and could result in imprisonment for up to five years."

A British Waterways spokesman said: "British Waterways will continue to work closely with Community Protection and the police to ensure that boaters like Mr Wincott do not ruin the canal for other residents and visitors. In doing so we will ensure that our waterways remain a pleasant experience for everyone."

The Post found Wincott's narrow boat moored at the canal side on Canal Road, Beeston Rylands, but no-one was on board.

Patrick Gordon, 59, whose narrowboat was moored nearby, said: "I've not seen him up here since Christmas. He used to have a three-legged dog. There would be three boats together and he and those on the other boats were always boozing."

A member of staff at Baltimore Exchange Bar & Grill said: "He used to leave his car on the grass verge outside and have his dog running around. A lot of people on the canal are fantastic and he stuck out like a sore thumb."

guy.woodford@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk