BOY racers prompted a police call out to a Swindon town centre car park – barely an hour after the Prime Minister announced a nationwide lockdown to halt the spread of the coronavirus.

Cars could be heard squealing around the John Street multi-storey before 10pm on Monday. A group was seen chatting at the far end of the ground storey before a line of cars processed out the car park.

Police arrived after 10pm to move the drivers on. A dispersal order typically instituted in the wake of gang violence is in place until Wednesday evening.

Police statement

A spokeswoman for Wiltshire Police said: “We were called by a member of the public at approximately 9.40am reporting a number of cars and people gathered in the car park in John Street and acting in an anti-social manner.

“Officers attended the scene and a Section 35 dispersal order was put in place for the area for the next two days to prevent crowds from gathering.”

Barely an hour before police were called to the car park Prime Minister Boris Johnson said police would be given powers to move on groups of any more than two people from meeting up. A new lockdown aims to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

What is a S35 Dispersal Order?

Police officers with the rank of inspector or above were given powers in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to authorise a dispersal order under Section 35 of the law.

It is designed to prevent crime or anti-social behaviour and is often used in the wake of violence. 

The orders last for no more than 48 hours and must apply to a strictly defined geographical area.

Police officers have the power to tell someone found within that area to move on - provided they are over 10-years-old and in a public place. They can also seize property from that person. 

Anyone who fails to comply with the order could be arrested and, if convicted, receive a sentence of up to three months imprisonment.