VANDALS

Kevin Winson, a member of Alvaston Neighbourhood Watch sent invitations to 5,000 young people in Alvaston, Allenton, Boulton and Chellaston, asking them to attend a meeting held at Alvaston Junior School, in Elvaston Lane. It was designed for youngsters to quiz police officers and councillors and give them a chance to talk about issues affecting them and to suggest activities they would like organised for them. Only five turned up. Jenna Winson, who is a youth MP for Derby, said, "People complain they have nothing to do at night but then they don't turn up." Maybe the reason they have nothing to do is because they've smashed everything up like....

Vandals caused £2,000 of damage at a play area in Heage. Swings and springed hobby horses were wrecked during the vandalism spree at the play area, off Brook Street. PC Paul Beardmore said, "The chains on the swings have been ripped out and a number of springed horses have been ripped out of the ground. One of the horses was even thrown on top of a nearby changing room. The area has been enjoyed by children since it opened but it has also become a hang-out for local youths." (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph, May/06)

Shelters for teenage hoodies to hang out in could be built across the UK. Ministers hope that by keeping the gangs in one place levels of vandalism would be cut down elsewhere and the Government is urging councils in England and Wales to put up the robust buildings in parks, playgrounds and town centres. They also want local authorities to make more use of £50 penalties, behaviour contracts and asbos to hit vandals. Shelters would have seating, cover and be open at all times. (Source: Daily Mirror, Mar/06)

Vandals set fire to a former scout hut at the Knightsbridge Recreation Ground, off Leytonstone Drive, Mackworth. Residents in the area have regularly claimed that the building attracts vandals and they have called on the city council to turn it into a library facility. To be torched by vandals no doubt.

Police have vowed to tackle the problem of groups of teenagers vandalising Derby city centre and intimidating visitors. The youngsters have been loitering under the overhang at the Assembly Rooms, next to the Tourist Information Centre, in the Market Place, during the weekends, after school, and during the holidays. Although the majority use the area simply as a meeting place, there have been reports that some of them are misbehaving and tourism officials believe this is harming the city in the eyes of visitors.

Marion Nixon, tourism manager for Derby City Council, based in the Market Place, said, "We tend to get people congregating outside the office. The majority aren't a problem, but we do have a minority that use behaviour which is not what we would want. There are usually about 12 to 20 people out there and usually they're just sitting out there sheltering. We only get annoyed when they're causing damage outside. The Tourist Information Centre is the first point of contact for many visitors when they come into Derby, and we don't want to portray a detrimental image."

She added that the council was looking at landscaping the area under the overhang, but had not found a suitable solution as yet. Council spokesman Sam Whitworth said, "It's the minority that cause the issues. The thing is when you get large groups, and sometimes there are up to 100 people out there, people can start to feel intimidated. Their argument is there's nowhere else to go. I do understand their frustrations but that doesn't mean they can go out and do graffiti." Sergeant Alan Sandeman, Derby police city centre beat team manager, said that officers were doing everything they could to try to stop the problem.

He added, "It's one thing to 'hang out' with your friends but unacceptable to spit, throw litter and cause any damage in the city. We will use positive action under section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act which means we can disperse them when they're carrying out this behaviour." Section 30 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, means that officers can disperse groups of two or more people if they are deemed to be harassing or causing a nuisance to others. If they return within 24 hours, they could be arrested. (Source: Derby Evening Telegraph)

In acts of vandalism, Islamic activists daubed white paint on posters showing models wearing just G-strings. The Al-Muhajiron group branded the posters "evil". At the same time, we are ordered not to do anything that might offend Muslims.

Residents celebrated the demolition of a bus shelter that was a haunt for trouble-making youths. People living on the Mackworth Estate had campaigned for more than two years for the bus shelter, in Henley Green, to be removed saying it was a meeting place for groups of up to 60 youths, who caused problems by drinking, urinating and throwing stones at buses. They pressed Derby City Council to remove it, but had no luck until yesterday morning, when it was dismantled. The plan is now to replace the brick and concrete structure with a more open, vandal-proof shelter.

Councillor Evonne Berry, the city council cabinet member for community regeneration, social inclusion and youth, said the council had worked with the police and the bus companies in deciding what to do. She said, "It was decided that we would take that one down and we would use a recycled, refurbished shelter with bigs gaps in it so you can see through it. It's also going to have an anti-graffiti coating on it so it can just be wiped down if it is vandalised. We didn't want to take it out of there completely, because it's quite an important stop for bus passengers. We'll have to look at it again in six months' time and see if it's working."

Arriva buses have been damaged by stones thrown at them from the Henley Green shelter. A driver was hit in the face with an egg in one incident. Sgt Martin Critchley, beat officer for Mackworth, added, "I'm very pleased that the shelter has come down. It concealed people and with the new bus stop we'll be able to see through it, which should help in crime prevention and stop the anti-social behaviour or reduce it."

So, it seems nothing can be done to stop the anti-social behaviour by these yobs except remove the facility for passengers. The brick and concrete shelter is to be replaced with one which "has big gaps in it so you can see through it" which, no doubt, will allow wind and rain through also. Residents say they have been campaigning for more than two years because of problems with hooligans at the shelter. Surely the police cannot use the excuse of manpower in explaining why stopping this vandalism problem has proved beyond their capability?

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