TERRIFIED locals in a popular seaside town are being tormented by violent crime gangs – some with members as young as 10 years old.
Famous for its traditional seaside entertainment, Weston-super-Mare in Somerset is a popular tourist destination with almost a million tourists visiting each year.
9
Police confirm increase in gangs of teenagers causing mayhem in Weston-super-MareCredit: SUN NEWSPAPERS LTD
9
The seaside destination is popular with tourists Credit: Sun Newspapers Ltd
But workers and residents of local shops told how their lives have been ruined by growing groups of young brats who commit violent and criminal acts, causing them to leave their homes in fear.
Police have confirmed an increase in groups of teenagers causing chaos in the town, where one man claims he was brutally attacked on the beach six weeks ago.
Asking to remain anonymous, the man claims he was defending a young woman who was targeted by around 15 children and young adults, some in local school uniforms.
A middle-aged local claims: “It was around 4:30 p.m., the woman was exhausted, very drunk, and they were attacking and threatening her, so I jumped in.”
Read more about cities on the coast
“I managed to get her away from them to some other members of the public, but I had to go back to the beach to get my dog, then they all circled around me, like a pack of animals out for blood.
“Then they beat me up a lot, and I saw a girl standing in the back and filming with her phone.
“I ended up on the sand, they kicked and kicked me in the face, they stood on my throat and head until I passed out.
“I was in hospital for two days and still have scars, including a bruised eye, as well as emotional trauma.”
The man said the main part of the small town, including the High Street, was a hotbed of criminal behavior with kids riding bikes and e-scooters and usually walking around on a colorful stage.
He said: “You regularly see someone from a shop running down the street shouting ‘stop thief’ but there’s not much you can do and people don’t want to intervene in case they get hurt.
“They also shoot fireworks through shop doors and letterboxes – we’ve had enough of that.”
Terror in the store
9
Elaine Peake says youngsters are stealing from her shop Credit: Sun Newspapers Ltd
9
Earlier this year police discovered a £1 million cannabis farm inside a derelict pub Credit: Avon & Somerset Police
9
A county gang was last month jailed for a total of 36 years Credit: Avon & Somerset Police
Weston is famous for its Grand Pier, donkey rides on the beach, fish and chip shops along the promenade and the vast beach down to the Severn estuary.
But far from the top tourist attractions, local shops are struggling amid a dizzying crime wave.
In the High Street, Elaine Peake is the manager of the Captain Kandy confectionery.
She said: “We have a lot of things taken from the shop windows outside, like fake lollipops and boxes of Oreos. It’s hard to be careful inside the store as it is outside, but we use them as advertising, and if we bring them inside, people will think we’re closed.
“We have groups of kids in front of the entrance when I’m behind the cash register and the next minute they take things and disappear.
“A couple of weeks ago, a colleague had a fight with someone, they had sweets around their necks, in their pockets, in the end they returned them to us, but we try not to because we have to worry about our own safety.
“We have radios for our city street wardens that we can use for assistance and CCTV but it still happens a lot. Some of them are even ten years old, maybe they think it’s a big deal to do this in front of their peers.”
Elaine, 49, has lived in Weston all her life.
She said: “Everybody worries about groups and gangs in the city, day, night, when you go home at night, because you don’t know if they’re going to come at you and what they might have on them, and they’re everywhere.
“I always make sure and I would advise people to be with someone, because you just don’t know what could happen if you’re alone when there’s too much anti-social behaviour.
“I’ve lived here for more than 40 years, and it wasn’t like this 20 years ago, but in the last year it’s been worse than ever.
“We see them cycling down the high street, abusing people and scaring them – they just don’t seem to care.”
‘It’s scary’
9
Retired aerospace engineer Frank Bamford says anti-social behavior is a problemCredit: Sun Newspapers Ltd
9
A broken door on the main street
Ex-RAF and retired aeronautical engineer Frank Bamford (70) has lived in Weston for 53 years.
“We see a lot of anti-social behavior from these groups of young people – playing loud music, shouting and screaming at people, behavior that is not appropriate in public places.
“They’re mixed ages, not just a group of young kids. They’re 10 to 18 years old, and you see them splitting up and going in different directions.
“Most people on the high street will also see that there is a drug problem in this area, as well as witnessing shoplifting and theft, which apparently happen on a regular basis.
“I saw people running after people who stole from their shops, and I regularly see street officers.
“We know about people who have been attacked and it is becoming more and more difficult for people to come to us in the evening and enjoy what is happening in the city.
“It could be intimidating for people, I’ve seen older people going to the bank being intimidated by ‘unusual’ looking people, shouting at them and interrupting them.
“We would welcome a greater police presence in the city, but this is the responsibility of the parents.
“Why are young people in the city at night far from their parents and can carry out these attacks on society?
“We all have a responsibility to step in if we see something going on, not by interfering, but by calling the police and making it unacceptable. But it cannot be only the police and it cannot be only social services. If we went in more often, we would have more control as a society.”
Troubled past
9
The Bournville estate has a bad reputation in the areaCredit: Sun Newspapers Ltd
9
Resident Tina Cooke says the estate has improved but the town is dangerous Credit: Sun Newspapers Ltd
Tina Cooke, 45, has lived most of her life on the notorious Bournville estate, just outside the city centre.
The 1920s estate is well known for its high crime rate and for being home to some of Weston’s most prolific criminals over the past few decades.
She said: “Bournville has a reputation but it’s not as bad now as it was when I was a child. There were a lot of dealers and drug addicts, we had a garbage dump next to the house, so it wasn’t nice.
“But now it’s quite different on this estate. The police are always there keeping an eye on people, but with the exception of a few things, things are generally fine now compared to 40 years ago.
“I see more groups of teenagers hanging out in the city than here. They can range from young teenagers to early 20s.
“They ride bikes, which you can see sometimes on the property, and it can be scary, especially if you’re alone, so I don’t go out alone at night.
She told how two male friends were attacked by local gangs a few years ago, and while one did not know the perpetrators, one was known to them, and he ended up with a metal plate that replaced part of his skull.
She knows of several stabbings that have taken place on the Bournville estate, which houses a number of shops and a health centre.
The mother of three grown children added: “I wouldn’t go out alone here, but it’s more dangerous in the city, I wouldn’t go out there alone at all, especially at night.” It just became too dangerous.”
Police confrontation
Avon and Somerset Police shared with The Sun a statement released last weekend when they attended ‘several incidents’ involving groups of teenagers.
A 12-year-old, a 13-year-old and an 18-year-old were arrested and released on bail, along with a 14-year-old who was charged with breaching a behavior order.
The statement read: “Over the past few weeks we have seen a significant increase in anti-social behavior (ASB) and related offenses involving young people in Weston-super-Mare town centre.”
Offenses included assaults on members of the public, theft, shoplifting and criminal damage.
The post continued: “We will also be conducting proactive arrest attempts as part of the investigation.
“Children and young people aged 12 and over are included. We encourage all parents and guardians to speak to their children if they were out (last night).
“Officers from our Neighborhood Policing Team are working with partners including North Somerset Council, Weston-super-Mare City Council and business representatives to tackle this behaviour.
“Investigations including CCTV trawls, house-to-house inquiries and increased police patrols will take place over the coming days and weeks.
“We will not tolerate any anti-social or criminal behavior and we are asking the public to support us in our efforts to make Weston and the surrounding countryside a safe place to live, work and visit.”
North Somerset Council declined to comment.
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education