Judges warn of 24-hour drinking 'lunacy'

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A huge increase in rape, domestic violence and serious assaults will be triggered by the relaxation of drinking laws, concerned judges have warned ministers.

Senior judges told the Home Office to expect incidences of alcohol-fuelled violent crime to soar when the traditional 11pm closing time ends in November.

A paper from the Council of Her Majesty's Circuit Judges said: "Those who routinely see the consequences of drink-fuelled violence in offences of rape, grievous bodily harm and worse on a daily basis are in no doubt that an escalation of offences of this nature will inevitably be caused by the relaxation of liquor licensing which the Government has now authorised."

Judge Charles Harris, QC, a member of the Council of Circuit Judges, said the situation was already grave "if not grotesque" and making drinking facilities more widely available "is close to lunacy".

In a scathing verdict, the judges say Labour's claim that later opening times will foster a Mediterranean-style culture of moderate drinking is 'simply wishful thinking'.

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Dire warnings

Judge John Samuels QC, of the Council of HM Circuit Judges, has told ministers he has 'no doubt' the controversial reforms will fuel violent crime.

Meanwhile - blowing wide open claims that the police support liberalisation of the licensing laws - top officers predict that British town centres may come to resemble squalid foreign party destinations such as the notorious Greek resort of Faliraki.

Nine out of ten pubs are seeking later opening hours as Labour's regime for late-night drinking comes into force. Last night, the Conservatives said the warnings - revealed in responses to the Government's consultation on its proposals - are so dire that Tony Blair should shelve the plans altogether.

The warnings, set out in Home Office papers published last night, follow a Daily Mail campaign against the relaxed licensing laws backed by police chiefs, medical experts and local authorities

In its response to the proposals, the Association of Chief Police Officers says there is 'no evidence' for the Government's suggestion that letting pubs and clubs open beyond 11pm will cut violence and anti-social behaviour.

And one police force tells ministers to expect a marked increase in domestic violence - often triggered by alcohol.

Licensing Minister James Purnell has insisted senior police officers support the changes. But the full extent of commanders' concerns is laid bare in the new documents. "One only has to look to popular holiday destinations to see the effect of allowing British youth unrestricted access to alcohol," ACPO warns.

It believes later opening will mean more people on the streets at one time. "The new Act will just shift closing times back later into the night."

The police chiefs say longer hours are unlikely to mean more civilised drinking. "Experience over the last decade has shown there is a strong link between the increase in disorder and the explosion of late-night premises.

"The assertion that 11pm closing leads to binge drinking is simply not supported by the evidence. Drinkers who want to drink later simply go to premises with a later licence or move on at 11pm to other premises that are open."

Attraction for troublemakers

ACPO's licensing chief Chris Allison warns that already many young Britons already feel they have had a good night out only if they have drunk "far too much".

The Metropolitan Police Authority says staggered closing times are unlikely. "Commercial pressures will inevitably lead to the licensed premises in their own locality adopting the same closing time - midnight, 1am, 2am etc. The reality will be deferred rather than staggered closing times. The problems caused by the combination of cheap drink and late-closing bars have been widely reported and graphically illustrated by the crowds of youths who have been quick to take full advantage of lax licensing laws whilst on holiday in Mediterranean countries."

The authority also attacks one of the Government's proposed safeguards against alcohol-related trouble in town and city centres.

It warns that so-called 'alcohol disorder zones' - where licensed premises could have to contribute to police, hospital and clean-up costs - could turn into "notorious drinking ghettoes & avoided by responsible drinkers but an attraction for troublemakers".

'Wishful thinking'

Judge Samuels warns ministers of an "inevitable explosion" of alcohol-fuelled violence.

"Those who routinely see the consequences of drink-fuelled violence in offences of rape, grievous bodily harm and worse on a daily basis are in no doubt that an escalation of offences of this nature will inevitably be caused by the relaxation of liquor licensing.

"We regard it as simply wishful thinking to suppose that the introduction of the Licensing Act will bring about the cultural change which Government envisages, so that binge drinking will be a thing of the past."

Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said last night: "This completely undermines any Government assertion that the police are in favour of their plans to unleash 24-hour drinking on our town and city centres.

"The Government should defer 24-hour drinking until it has got a grip on binge drinking and then only pilot it so local residents can see the consequences and apply it appropriately."

A Culture Department spokesman said: "We are not saying the police support every aspect of the Act. Of course there are dissenting voices and James Purnell acknowledged this.

"But the fact is a range of police bodies, including ACPO who voiced support for removal of rigid permitted hours and the introduction of more flexible opening, have supported licensing reform and we are working closely with them to implement it."