MORE than 70 people working in the Criminal Justice System in Cheshire have been rewarded for their hard work, dedication and efforts.

Among them was Michelle Brown, Ellesmere Port & Neston’s Anti-Social Behaviour Co-ordinator; the Western Rural Community Action Team; Cheshire Youth Offending Team; and Cheshire and Merseyside Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Support Service.

Miss Brown, based at Ellesmere Port Police Station, was commended for helping bring about a 21% reduction in nuisance youth incidents in the last year.

She has been responsible for setting up joint agency groups which share information on a monthly basis about youths in the community, both to provide a service to those youths and their families most in need, and to identify those engaged in anti-social behaviour.

The Western Rural CAT has been working to reduce the number of young people committing crime by offering diversionary activities to steer them away from crime and drugs.

Cheshire YOT’s Offender Behaviour Programme Team works on both a one-to-one and group basis to reduce repeat offender rates, identify those with the highest risk of reoffending, and provide programmes which engage young people and help them to make changes.

And Cheshire and Merseyside Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Support Service provides advice, information and support to people who have been affected by sexual violence.

Last year it supported 378 women and men who had been subject to sexual violence. The team provides a vital first point of contact for people, especially for those whose case is going through the criminal justice system.

Other winners included: Sue Gibson of HM Prison Risley for delivering a sex offender treatment programme; Cheshire LCJB/Priority Young Offender (PYOs) group; Criminal Records staff at Cheshire police; Operation Raddish run by Witness Care Officers; DC Neil Burdekin of Cheshire police; The Atlas Team, which ensures prosecutors acted as efficiently and effectively as possible; the Operation Rampart Team which investigated the murder of dad Garry Newlove in Warrington at the hands of youths; Witness Care Units formed by Cheshire police and the CPS in January 2005; and DS Dave Briscoe of Cheshire police.

The event, held at Portal Premiership golf club in Tarporley, was organised by the Cheshire Criminal Justice Board.

Across the county, 19 nominations including teams and individuals covering around 160 members of staff were put forward this year.

Winners received their awards from board chairman Ian Rushton, also Chief Crown Prosecutor of CPS Cheshire; and board members Steve Collett, chief officer of Cheshire Probation Service; Carolyn Schofield, Legal Services Commission; Geoffrey Appleton acting area director of Her Majesty’s Courts Service, Cheshire and Merseyside; Andrew Dickinson, acting governor of HM Prison Risley; and DSI Peter Rigby of the Administration of Justice Department of Cheshire Constabulary.

Nominees from the police, CPS, HM Courts Service, Probation, Witness Care Units, Prison Service, YOTs as well as the fire service and local authorities were named for caring for witnesses, working with offenders, engaging communities, voluntary work, working with youths and long service.

Mr Rushton said: “All the Board members are delighted to have had the opportunity of presenting these richly deserved awards to the recipients in person.

“It is also immensely encouraging that there are so many examples of colleagues from each of the Criminal Justice Agencies going the extra mile for the people of Cheshire.”