£3,000 fine for women who planned Dudley Tesco car cruise
Two 'naive' women who breached a Black Country-wide ban on car cruising by organising a gathering have been hit with a £3,000 bill by the High Court.
More than 80 people responded to an internet invitation posted by 19-year-old Chloe Kendrick, of Bilston, and Devon Roden, aged 25, of Netherton, in April.
Both admitted breaching an injunction which came into force in 2015, banning people from taking part in a car cruise anywhere in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton, or from promoting, organising or publicising one.
Police intercepted their post on the Pouts and Pistons Facebook page hosted by the two women on April 19, the court heard. The invitation called on people to meet up the following Sunday evening at Tesco, Burnt Tree Island, a well-known car cruising hotspot.
The planned meeting quickly attracted a large following, prompting officers from Wolverhampton council's anti-social behaviour team to visit Kendrick and Roden and advise them they were in breach of the High Court injunction.
They were asked to cancel the event and warned that police would monitor the planned venue and take committal proceedings against anyone found to be involved in car cruising.
The court, sitting in Birmingham, heard that Kendrick quickly removed the posts from Facebook, while Roden contacted those planning to attend to inform them that the event was cancelled.
Although the gathering did not go ahead, West Midlands Police and the Central Motorway Policing Group were diverted to the location in case it did.
Judge McKenna told the women: "Having posted and organised such an event, significant police resources had to be deployed to the Burnt Tree Island area on the evening of 23 April, resources that could have been more usefully used elsewhere throughout the West Midlands.
"Car cruising is extremely dangerous, and dangerous to those foolish enough to attend such events. Breaches of High Court orders are serious."
Judge McKenna described Kendrick and Roden as 'naive', and said he was sure they would not repeat 'such foolishness'.
They were each fined £1,000, ordered to pay Wolverhampton Council's costs of £500 and warned that any further breach of the injunction would likely result in prison sentences.
Karen Samuels, the council's head of community safety, said: "We welcome the sentences handed down to these two individuals which demonstrates the ongoing commitment of the authorities to eradicate the problem of car cruising in the Black Country.
"This injunction is an important tool in our efforts to cut anti-social behaviour and improve community safety, and we will not hesitate to take action against those suspected of either participating in car cruises in the Black Country or – as demonstrated in this instance – those who seek to organise them."
