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Make legal drinking age 21, says embattled police chief
Last updated at 08:22am on 08.09.07The legal drinking age must be raised to 21 because police are becoming "overwhelmed" by alcohol-fuelled rapes and assaults, a chief constable said yesterday.
Michael Craik, who leads the Northumbria force, echoed the call of another police chief following the death of family man Garry Newlove who was punched and kicked by youths outside his home.
Mr Craik pledged his support to a ban on drinking in clubs and bars for under-21s and said that alcohol must be kept "out of reach" of the young.
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Out of control: Police tackle yet another drunk offender
His call, which came as judges in Gloucester demanded an end to nightclubs running cheap "student nights" after they led to two vicious attacks, piles fresh pressure on Gordon Brown.
The Prime Minister has already promised a review of the controversial new drink laws.
Mr Craik spoke out in a meeting with council leaders in Newcastle which debated the radical step of asking the government to raise the drinking age to 21.
He said: "I do think there's an argument in favour of lobbying for such change.
"And I think we are at the point where we have to put drink out of reach.
"There is an argument to say it is time to face up to this and say you can no longer drink in public if you are under the age of 21.
"I'm not saying to rule it out for people at home, but the time has come for rather more than just an interesting debate.
"This problem needs something radical to solve it."
He added: "Drinking is behind so much of our work. Every act of violence, every violent offence, every rape we come across is increasingly caused by drinking.
"It is a serious problem that we have tolerated for too long. Something has to change."
While his pleas fell on deaf ears, Newcastle councillors opting instead for more rigorous enforcement of licensing laws, the debate over youngsters and alcoholfuelled violence will not go away.
In Gloucester, judges Jamie Tabor QC and Martin Picton said clubs selling to underage drinkers should lose their licences after they heard how cheap alcohol evenings designed to attract students had degenerated into bloodshed.
In one attack a 17-year-old let in to drink without having his ID checked later shoved a glass in the eye of another youth.
Judge Picton said: "This is yet another example of an underage person being served vast amounts of alcohol, with no one asking for identification."
In the courtroom next door, a 35-year- old man pleaded guilty to smashing a bottle over an underage drinker's head in a club brawl.
Judge Tabor said: "There is a heavy responsibility on those who hold licences to serve alcohol to ensure that drink is only served to those the law allows.
"It is all too common now that alcohol is being given out to those under 18."
Last month Peter Fahy, the Cheshire chief constable, said the drinking age should be raised to 21 after the death of Mr Newlove, 47, a father of three.
His attackers were said to have been drinking.
Three youths have been charged with his murder.
Recent figures have also shown that attacks in pubs and clubs increased by 55 per cent in Devon and Cornwall in the year after 24-hour drinking was first allowed.
But Tim Martin, chairman of JD Wetherspoon pub chain, said Government efforts to clamp down on underage drinking smacked of "stupidity and rank hypocrisy".
Landlords and staff face heavy fines if they serve underage drinkers – whether knowingly or not.
But Mr Martin said the strict enforcement of the over-18s rule was exacerbating the problem by driving youngsters to drink in public areas away from the "watchful eye of a landlord".
He said he did not advocate underage drinking but added: "There is not a policeman, lawyer or judge who waited to enter a pub to have a drink for the very first time at the age of 18 or over.
"Now it's far more difficult for 15 to 18-years-olds to get served in pubs, but all the parents I know purchase alcohol for their own children of this age, who end up drinking it at parties, in market squares or on the beach."
c.gill@dailymail.co.uk
Reader views (26)
Here's a sample of the latest views published.
If the drinking age moves up and we are not treated as adults we should not have to pay as much as adults on tax, travelling... because we dont get the same rights as any other.
drinking problems will get worse if the age is highered and the community will be affected because they will rebel.
- Holly Austin, 17, Luton
You know I think it's fair to say that our country actually needs to raise the drinking age, but I also think it's fair to say that no one will regard the rules. I've been 18 for 2 weeks, but i've been drinking heavily enough since I was 13. I don't mean I'm an alcoholic or anything, but I've always went out and got drunk with my mates. There's been good and bad times, but I think it's time for a change to all that, I'd do anything to go back and stop myself from bingeing so often, and I think there's only so much time left before the younger generation are drinking and taking drugs. I know I'll never let my little brother follow me down the stream of whisky, but I know I can't keep him away from drugs which are attributed to, and actually almost interchangeable nowadays. Perhaps someone should do something about the paramilitaries and the rest will follow? Just a suggestion.
- S'Ecks, Bangor, NI
if you look at other European countries many have relaxed alcohol laws such as 16+ and these countries seem too have little problems. in my opinion its because its not forbidden or seen as something to be breaking the rules with.
whereas America has the age set at 21+ and they have some of the worst binge drinking & underage drinking figures in the world, the reasons for this are: drinking underage is breaking the rules,its taboo and its a ridiculous age to set the age too.
personally i am 16 (From the UK) and yes i do drink sometimes, not to the excess of being drunk & disorderly and i think 18 is the best age to keep it at, moving it up will be punishing the majority for the minority's actions, and the teens-20 year olds will still get older brothers/sisters/mates etc to get their booze.
- Jake, London
Changing the drinking age isnt going to change anything, it will just make teens want to drink more because it is more taboo for them. i personally think that the government takes too much away as it is, 18 is an important number to millions of people and to take this away is rediculous. Not only that but to also make people wait longer is to make them binge more!
The governement doesnt think things through properly, taking this away is going to make things worse. Not better.
- Sheree, nottingham
i think its stupid really i mean its jst gonni cause more underage drinkin because ye cant honestly think tht its going to stop people tht arent 21 from drinkin withthere m8,s outside a mean am 18 n i like goin to the pub for a few pints and a good night me and ma m8s wouldnt be happy anyway if they moved the age to 21
- George, east ayrshire,scotland
I think puting the drinking age up to 21 is pathetic.
These excuses that are to put it up are is if they are emplying every single drinker ends up in a state and binge's, when we all quite clearly know that is not the case. Puting it up to 21 ruins the whole student life tradition, it will also cause under agers to binge to the max when they actually get the chane of getting alcohol they buy exsesive amounts, and everyone knows underagers will have a way of getting alcohol no matter what, so why ruin it for the 18 - 20 year olds :S?
it makes no sence at all, every reason why it "should" go up to 21 can easily be defeated.
Probably most of the alcohol is bought by 18 to 21 year olds, also most likly a fall in sales with alcohol, I mean the list is endless, I cant see a single good point to it. They should introduce some sort of point system, like with driving but with drinking, and when a rule is broken a point is added on, and then a punishment after 3.
sounds daft but puting it up to 21 sounds worse.
- Andrew, renfrew
If the drinking age was moved to 21 then you would have over 21s in more trouble because they would have had to wait longer to get alcohol so they would get more drunk.
- Omar, wimbledon
I don't think the drinking age should be raised - I only just turned eighteen late last year. I like occasionally buying vodka or a can of Stella or Fosters, when I feel the need. I think it's unfair that we other young people have to suffer because of the idiots out there.
- Ryan, London
I don't think raisng the drinking limit will result in more problems than solving them. I turned 18 in 2007 and not all 18-20 year olds cause trouble while going out for a drink. Most of the trouble that has happened in night clubs that I have witnessed is carried out by older drinkers. It seems as if people feel it is their right to point the finger at younger peers rather than looking further into the problem. I think the people who are thinking about the age limit increase should go into their local nightclubs then they will be able to see the ones who are really causing the trouble.
- Lucy, Essex
Not everyone is violent under the influence. It's not the alcohol, it's the people, raising the age is pathetic! Especially for people who are about to or have recently turned 18!
- Daz, Wrexham, Wales
If there is a drinking ban. It means there will be more people on the street drinking instead of in a pub which keeps them of the street.
- Robert, Hertfordshire
So at 18 you can patrol Basra market? Yes! You can endure mortar attacks in Afghanistan and Iraq, have a near miss from an RPG or possibly shot and killed anywhere in the Middle East but you won't be able to have a big night out with friends and family when you return home, or even a quite pint in your local. Seems a little odd to me.
- Adam,, Hereford, England
I don't think drinking should be raised to 21 as it's not going to stop alcohol related violence, it's not always the youths to blame for it, they're just bein stereotypical.
It's only going to put those 18,19 and 20 yr olds onto the streets as they have no where else to go. Why are we being so dictated?
They're just controlling us and trying to imitate america. Just leave us alone to do WHAT we want and WHEN we want.
- Lucy, England
We think that the drinking age should stay the same, because people are still going to drink any way. only now it will be on parks, on the streets and at peoples house and other unmanaged environments, causing more call outs for the police. and if people can't get hold of alcohol then they will just turn to drugs.
- Heather Wildsmith And Daniel Blount, Derby.
This is just stupid and will lead to just far more people breaking the law, as 18, 19, 20year olds that have been drinking, what are they going to do? Revert to not drinking and not going out?
Plus all the tax being lost on the sales. This is totally stupid and just a sign of England becoming more and more of a nanny state! Horrific!
- Katia, London
I do understand why the new drinking age of 21 appears to be a good idea, however, it is not just the 18 - 21's that cause the trouble while under the influence of alcohol. Raising the age isn't going to stop the problem as many 21+ are involved in alcohol related crimes. What I do think is a good idea instead is that if an individual who is wanting to buy alcohol either in a bar/pub or store must look 25 otherwise ID MUST be shown. I am 19 however my sister is 17 and looks older than me. Under 18s are getting away with drinking in public with low cut tops and make up plastered on their face. I think 25 is a hard age to look when your only 17. And the people who are wanting to put this into action were drinking at 18 and if the police force is getting overwhelmed then they need to recruit more staff and the government needs to put more money into police funding at the policing end not the bureaucratic departments.
- Emily Collingwood, Hartlepool, England
If they can send us to war by the time we are 18, then we can drink. If they can let us buy tax encrusted cancer causing cigarettes, then we can drink. If we can vote at 18 and put our trust in a government, then they should trust us enough to drink. It's about time young people stop being put in the spotlight for violent crime. Step into a city or town night scene one night, look at who is fighting. I think you'll find the vast majority are over 21 and fuelled by something completely petty. Look at most gangs, the leaders are over 21, not teenagers. So wise up you petty excuses for adults and smell the coffee, we are all the offenders of violent crime, not just you brand new scapegoat: teenagers.
- L.Taylor, Bridgend, Wales
I think if they do put it up to 21 there will be more fights on the streets and the police coming out for the same things as they are now just think about it 3 months down the line it would be a waste off time.
- Katie Millen, Preston
I think that to raise the drinking age is way too far! I am a 19 year old teenager, and I speak for all under 21's when I say this: but I do not know anyone who abuses alcohol, or drink-drives, or becomes violent etc! The problem is not the age, even if the drinking age was put up to 21, under 21's are probably going to know older people who can get them alcohol, exactly the same as now under 18's know over 18 year olds. And yes; people do abuse alcohol... but why punish the majority of 18-21 year olds who are responsable when it comes to alcohol? It's simply ludicrous!
And the voting age is 18... if the goverment changes the drinking age; every 18-21 year old is going to vote against it, and the party in charge!
- Jacklyn Jowett, Edinburgh, Scotland
I think it is unfair to do this. The laws have been like this for years and to change it in my opinion won’t have a major impact as youths will be on the streets drinking instead. The laws are getting silly, it's 16 to have sex and join the army, and 18 to vote. I think they need to make up their minds!
- Katy, Lincoln
A hefty part of the problem with youth violence is that violent youths, indeed violent anybody, is that they're mental. A tap head who's grown up in some dark corner of suburbia with a soundtrack of shouting and anger all around him isn't going to need a drink to turn nasty. Short of a very, very, very long process of local, community focused, actions and urban regeneration I do not see any practical way of tackling this problem. Whatever the solution, I can gaurentee you that there isn't going to be a quick fix.
- Berty, Birmingham
First raise the age limit. Result is, of course, no change. Ban alcohol completely is the next step. Result prohibition and the need for thousands more police.
They are, as usual, totally skirting the problem and just making it worse.
- Owl, London
I think this is discrimination against younger people. I get it that younger people are associated with it, but only because there are less older people out in clubs etc. If they were out then they would get violent etc from drinking as well. You can't say it's because of age, its' not, it's because some people drink too much so a better idea would be to give people a limit card or something saying they can only drink so much then they can't buy anymore. I think if the drinking age goes up it'll cause an uproar!
- Hannah, Lincoln
I am 18 year old and i think raising the drinking age is absolutely ridiculous. If under age drinking is a problem why raise the age? Surely there's going to be a lot more under age drinkers. In the clubs and bars the bar and door staff should be a lot stricter with ID as I have seen so many 15 year olds in bars and nightclubs. Drunken violence doesn't only occur in 18-21 years olds so why raise the age stating this as a reason? If this law ever does happen and they see no changes in violence theft etc what will happen then? Is the drinking age going to get raised even higher?
- Chloe, Sheffield
I have plenty of problems with out of control and aggresive youths in my own street and have done for over 15 years. The local council houses them and knows who they are and the one thing I can say about them is that they're never drunk. They're just like that. It's time the police stopped using the drinking age as a blind to disguise their inability to deal with levels of everyday nuisance in some recognised areas.
- Moggi, London
What's the point if we can't inforce the current law which is patently obvious.
- Steve, Hereford
