Public support for higher drinking age

Most people would support raising the minimum drinking age to combat crime and antisocial behaviour, according to a new poll.

Some 52 per cent said only over-21s should be allowed to buy alcohol, compared to 45 per cent who believe the limit should remain at 18.

The ICM research comes in the wake of Cheshire Police Chief Constable Peter Fahy's warning that booze was too cheap and easily available to youngsters.

Mr Fahy has also said that parents who refuse to take responsibility for their children's underage drinking should have them taken into care.

He said:"There should be some form of sanction from the criminal justice system to force some parents to take up the offers of support which we give them to help them deal with their children who have been underage drinking.

"This should be a child protection issue and this should be dealt with as part of care proceedings."

Mr Fahy spoke out after father-of-three Gary Newlove, 47, died from head injuries on Sunday, two days after a confrontation outside his Warrington home.

Four teenagers have been charged with Mr Newlove's murder.

The poll found women were more likely to want the drinking age raised than men, with 56 per cent supporting such a move compared to 49 per cent of males.

But both sexes were opposed to increasing taxes on alcohol, with 59 per cent of men and 51 per cent of women against a hike.

Almost three-quarters of people said they did not think increasing prices would reduce antisocial behaviour.

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