Police retract Asbo request for farmer

Norfolk police have withdrawn their application for an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) against a farmer, whose pigs have escaped a number of times to wreak havoc in the local area.

An interim Asbo was issued to Mr Brian Hagan, from Briston, Norfolk, after his pigs repeatedly escaped from his farm onto the highway and neighbouring land. Mr Hagan had gone to court over claims that he had breached the terms of the Asbo, but charges against him were dropped last week, due to insufficient evidence.

The Crown Prosecution Service stated that their interpretation of this area of legislation prevents them from enforcing any breach of any Asbo order that the police might obtain against Mr Hagan.

Norfolk police decided to withdraw their application for an Asbo, issuing a statement which said: "There is no benefit in obtaining an order if no action is taken when it is breached, as demonstrated in relation to the Interim Anti-Social Behaviour Order, which was previously in place."

Police said that Mr Hagan would be invited to a meeting in order to try and resolve the issue in a "practical way" and stressed that if no amicable solution could be found, then they would explore "other avenues" to help resolve the issue and provide respite for the rest of the community.

(KMcA/SP)