University students handed £1,000 Halloween fine warning

University areas have orders in place which tackle yob behaviour including street drinking

As Halloween creeps up, university students planning celebrations could face fines of up to £1,000. Community enforcement experts at Kingdom Local Authority Support are encouraging students to be mindful of PSPOs - Public Spaces Protection Orders - if they have moved to a new city.

The authority urged students to familiarise themselves with local rules before heading out, as violations could result in on-the-spot fines of up to £100, or prosecution fines of up to £1,000. PSPOs are common across UK university cities to tackle anti-social behaviour, including street drinking.

The orders are designed to improve the quality of life in public spaces, such as city centre and streets and parks Kingdom Local Authority Support is the largest UK provider to local authorities to tackle yob behaviour and environmental crime such as littering.

READ MORE: Solihull community nurse gets parking ticket as she treats dying patient in home

Its officers are stationed across the UK to enforce PSPOs, and to help students who are in need. John Roberts, the firm's senior operating officer, said: "Moving to a new city can be daunting, especially when you are moving away from your parents for the first time.

"The last thing students may be thinking about is getting to know the PSPOs in their new home, but many cities have different rules to tackle anti-social behaviour, and it could be costly to not be aware of them.

"Breaking a PSPO can lead to fines of up to £100 on-the-spot, and in more severe cases it can lead to prosecution and an £1,000 fine. These orders are in place to protect both students and residents, ensuring everyone is acting responsibly and respectfully.

"However, our officers will always be there to protect students and ensure they are safe when they are living in a new city. In any city, there will be levels of crime and antisocial behaviour, and the majority of students move to a new city without knowing anyone.

"We want to assure them that our officers are people they can rely on if they need help, whether that's simply for directions or if they're in distress."