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Living in fear of estate yobs

by Sue Carr
25/ 6/2008

AN EX-SOLDIER says local yobs are making him a prisoner in his own home.

Nigel Walker lives on Stanhope Close, Denton and claims gangs of youths who congregate on the road have made him too scared to leave the house.

The 45 year old regularly sees cars and houses being vandalised, has been threatened with violence and has even had people defecating in his garden.

"They rip pipes down from the gutters, wing mirrors off the cars and then run over the tops. They drink and smoke, urinate and defecate in people’s gardens, and if you go out and say anything you get abused," he said."I have some elderly neighbours and they’re frightened to death."

Nigel says he has phoned the police on numerous occasions but feels they have let him down.

"It’s been going on for years and it’s just got progressively worse," he said."In the past I’ve phoned them every single week and sometimes up to three times a night but they are not doing anything about it."

Even Nigel, who was in the army for six years, is frightened of confronting the yobs.

"There was a time I wasn’t scared of anyone. If it was one on one I wouldn‘t have a problem but there are gangs of them. Some have got glass bottles and others are swinging big pieces of timber about," he said. "One resident moved because she had enough of it."

Police say they are tackling problems in the Stanhope Estate area.

Community beat manager PC Katie Murray said: "Our priority is always to ensure people can feel safe in their own homes and neighbourhoods.

"The public need to work with us though and to understand that buying alcohol for youths only adds to the problems. Shop owners also need to be vigilant and contact police if they see young people outside their shop asking people to buy them alcohol.I would also like to stress is that it is important people report any incidents of antisocial behaviour or crime to police so we can respond accordingly."