POLICE will use new powers to tackle a rising tide of violence in Wealdstone.

From the start of next month, officers will be able to break up groups of youths hanging around in the town centre and send home under 16s under a new dispersal powers.

The move comes after a string of violent incidents in Wealdstone over recent months culminating in the murder of Hassan Kul Hawadleh outside the Total garage in High Street last month.

Chief Inspector Nick Davies, in charge of operations for Harrow Police, said this dispersal order will give his officers another tool to fight crime and anti-social behaviour in Wealdstone.

He said: “There has been a rise in violence in the area, there has been a lot of low level violence, and ultimately there was the murder of Kul.

“Although work began on the dispersal zone prior to his death, you can't ignore the fact that someone was killed here.

“We are responding to violence in the area and also we are responding to what local people have been telling us.”

Wealdstone has developed a reputation in recent years as a meeting point for groups of young people, and a potential trouble hotspot, especially late at night.

Crime figures for the last year showed incidents of violence against a person more than double in Marlborough and Wealdstone wards compared with the year before.

A 14-year-old boy was smashed over the head in a fight between rival gangs in Peel Road in December, and a 16-year-old boy was stabbed twice in the leg outside Sam's Chicken Shop in September, in just two of the most serious recent incidents.

Khalid Wazar, 28, owner of Wazar Superstore, described the town as plagued by violence, and said as recently as Friday two groups of young people were fighting in the high street outside his shop.

He said: “I think this is better than nothing, it sends a message. But the police must have more control and more officers in the area at the weekend and late at night.

“We had the same thing before and I didn't see any difference, so I'm not sure whether this will work or not.”

Cops have tried this tactic, introducing a dispersal zone, in the past in Wealdstone in 2005 as a way of reducing the number of groups of young people hanging around and tackling a perceived “yob culture”.

The new zone, jointly introduced by the police and Harrow Council, will last for six months, with an option to extend it at the end if necessary.

Councilllor Susan Hall, deputy leader of the council, said: “This area has always been a place where groups of young people meet up and hang around.

“If crowds of young people are hanging about then fear of crime is quite natural.

“Fear has risen since the murder, and we want to make sure police have all the tools possible to calm things down.”