Street fights mar the start of new year (From Bicester Advertiser)

Street fights mar the start of new year

9:30am Wednesday 2nd January 2013 in News

NEW YEAR celebrations were marred by two town centre brawls yesterday.

The two major incidents took place in Faringdon and Witney, while police said Oxford was comparatively quiet.

Police were called to Faringdon town centre at about 1.20am following reports of 20 to 30 people fighting. One man was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital. His condition was last night unknown.

Meanwhile, four people were arrested following a fight in Witney town centre at 12.30pm.

Officers had to intervene and deploy their pepper spray to break up the fight.

Chief Superintendent Andy Standen said: “They were the two most significant incidents of the night.

“They were in the more rural parts of the county so it took us longer to get there than it would have done in the centre of Oxford “It was quite busy in the centre of Oxford but not as busy as it has been in recent years.

“I’m not sure whether that’s to do with the recession and people saving money by going to house parties instead.”

As of 9am yesterday there were 31 people in police custody across the county.

These were for a range of alleged offences, from drunkenness and disorderly conduct to assault.

The police helicopter also searched over central Oxford at around 12.30pm after reports of a man walking on the railway line.

A man was later arrested.

Mr Standen added: “The number of arrests doesn’t reflect the amount of work the police were doing.

“We were also giving out cautions, warning people and advising them to leave the area.”

Anyone with any information should call police on 101.