Drunk and disorderly women up a third - Holmes

The number of women being fined for being drunk and disorderly has risen by nearly a third in just three years, according to research by the Liberal Democrats.

The figures, contained in an answer to a Parliamentary Question to Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesman Paul Holmes, show that:

• The number of women being fined for being drunk and disorderly rose from 6,098 in 2005 to 7,930 in 2007, an increase of 30%.

• The biggest increase was in young women. The number of girls aged between 16 and 17 being fined rose by 46.6% and among women aged 18 to 20, it rose by 40.5%.

• In the same period, the number of men being fined for being drunk and disorderly rose from 34,078 to 41,132, an increase of over 20%.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Justice Spokesman, Paul Holmes said:

"These figures are yet more evidence the existence of a binge-drinking ladette culture, particularly amongst teenage girls.

"As the number of drunken women on our streets has increased, so has the number of violent assaults being carried out by women.

"The Government has completely failed to tackle binge drinking and the resultant violence.

"The main problem is enforcing the rules. These figures show that ministers are incapable of tough action when it comes to selling alcohol to children."

"We have to get tough on those who sell booze to kids and better educate our children about the dangers of alcohol.

"The Government must also reconsider its opposition to social minimum pricing."