Troublemaker banned from town centre
A persistent troublemaker has been banned from Newcastle town centre for two years.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council successfully sought an injunction for the first time at the County Court after a series of incidents.
Cameron Smith now faces arrest if he is seen inside the ring-road around Newcastle town centre, threatens violence or uses abusive language.
The full injunction, obtained before District Judge O’Donnell at Stoke-on-Trent County Court, also bans other actions elsewhere in the Borough, including:
- behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress;
- sitting or lying down in subways, footpaths or doorways;
- drinking alcohol in public, other than at a licensed premises;
- littering or dumping rubbish.
Gill Heesom, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's Cabinet member for Community Safety and Wellbeing, said:
Our town centre officers have worked for several months with this person, trying to help their situation and improve their behaviour.
However, that’s not been possible and there comes a point where we felt obliged to act for the benefit of everyone who lives, works and shops in the town centre.
Both Staffordshire Police and our own officers are aware of the injunction and the person’s identity and will not hesitate to act if we see this person breaching the order.”
Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, added:
We are currently committing millions of pounds to transform the town centre – making it more attractive and growing footfall day and night by creating more homes, modern commercial space and building a clean, well-lit new car park.
“We want a town centre that people feel comfortable using day and night and we are determined not to let a small number of people ruin that for the vast majority.”
The injunction will be reviewed in August 2026.