By Sean O’Riordan
GLASSES and bottles could be banned from nightclubs in a radical clampdown on street violence.Gardaí yesterday rowed in behind police forces from across Europe that sought the introduction of plastic drink containers in late night licensed premises.

Medical experts have also endorsed the proposal with Cork hospital A&E consultant Dr Chris Luke describing it as “a vital step in reducing severe injuries”.

The recommendation was put forward yesterday at a conference in Cork of European police forces.

Officers from several countries, including Ireland, voted unanimously for the ban on the use of glass containers in nightclubs.

Their recommendation will now go before the EU Commission’s Justice and Home Affairs Department which will consider turning it into law.

The AGIS conference for EU police and judicial cooperation heard from medical experts and saw graphic pictures of the damage inflicted on victims by attackers who used broken glasses and bottles.

Jos Koehorst, an inspector from Holland who proposed the motion, said the use of glasses and bottles should be banned in nightclubs from 10pm or 11pm onwards, in favour of plastic containers.

“That day has to be very near,” he said. “We can’t wait another 20 years. There is just one solution, and that’s to do it now.”

Dr Luke said he was delighted gardaí and foreign police forces were behind the ban.

“It would be a vital step in reducing severe injuries. It will reduce the workload on A&Es as well,” he said.

Apart from violent incidents, Dr Luke pointed out that broken glass on dance floors often ended up injuring women who chose to dance barefoot.

He said violent and accidental injuries involving glass also meant a risk of litigation against nightclub owners.

Dr Luke said nightclub owners might suggest that customers don’t like drinking out of plastic containers, but the benefits were obvious.

Police officers from Holland and Britain said they were already trying to encourage promoters of major events, such as rock concerts and soccer matches, to use only plastic glasses.

Police from Birmingham suggested that new plastic glasses were being manufactured which looked and felt like the real thing but did not shatter into lethal shards.

Chief Superintendent Kevin Ludlow, who is in charge of policing Cork’s city centre, told the conference that he fully backed the recommendation.

“A glass bottle or glass is potentially an offensive weapon which can do serious harm. It is one of the easiest implements to turn into a weapon,” he said.

He added that agreement had already been reached with nightclub owners in Cork not to permit revellers taking bottles or glasses onto the street. Under a bylaw introduced by the city council street drinking is illegal.