A MAN has been charged with assaulting a police worker after an incident in Totton.

Neil James Gadd, 39, of no fixed abode, was arrested yesterday for failing to comply with a dispersal order, and was also arrested in connection with an altercation on March 4 involving two males and a community warden.

He has been charged with common assault and failure to comply with a section 35 direction excluding a person from an area, and has been released from custody on conditional bail.

He is due to appear at Southampton Magistrates Court on April 8.

Officers from Totton set up the dispersal order as part of a “clampdown” on anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

Sergeant Rob Ford said: “The point of the dispersal order is to improve the quality of life for those visiting the town centre.

“I would like to thank all those people who have reported incidents to us over the past week.”

The original order lasted for 48 hours and covered the Totton precinct area.

A second order was imposed on March 6, which included a wider area bordered by Library Road, Commercial Road, Testwood Lane, Ringwood Road and Maynard Road.

A third order covering the same area is in place until 10.45am on Sunday.

So far, officers have used the order to ask four people to leave the affected area.

At a public meeting last month residents told police they were fed up with motorcycle gangs revving their engines and riding on footpaths in the early hours of the morning.

Neville Penman, Totton ward councillor and organiser of the meeting, said: “I have been really pleased with the actions the police have taken, listening to residents and taking their views on board. They have started some good actions here.

“I have heard some good things and hope that it continues.

“People are now aware they can contact police and come to me, and we can stop this trouble in Totton.”