POLICE have today won a court battle to close a shop in Taunton which sells legal highs for three months after a mammoth legal wrangle.
Officers persuaded magistrates in Taunton to grant the three-month closure order on Hush, in Bridge Street, following six and a half hours of legal discussion.
The shop had been shut since Saturday last week after police secured a temporary closure order, arguing the sales of legal highs were leading to “serious nuisance and disorder across the town”.
At today’s hearing, Hush’s legal team argued there was no evidence to link antisocial behaviour in Taunton to the shop, but magistrates disagreed.
Hush was also ordered to pay £6,729.86 in legal costs.
Nick Smith, of the South-West Action Group (SWAG) which has called for legal highs to be banned, said: “It’s the best Christmas present. Other shops (outside of Taunton) will be worrying now. This sends out a great message and we will be helping other communities to get rid of this problem.
“It means people will be able to walk about in Taunton feeling safer, without worrying about being accosted. Kids will be able to walk to school without being shouted out by people high on legal highs.”
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