Police warn Gorse Hill youths to end anti-social behaviour at park
9:10am Wednesday 17th October 2012 in News By Scott D'Arcy
Tom Fryszka and Stacey McGarry, who have been part of the police force dealing with youths causing trouble in St Mark’s Rec in the late evenings
GROUPS of youths reported to be hanging around drinking in a park late at night have been warned by police to curb their bad behaviour.
Community officers from the Gorse Hill neighbourhood policing team say they have received several reports of late-night drinking, littering and starting fires, by large groups of youngsters in St Mark’s Recreation Ground.
In one incident a group of teens were even reported to be taking random shots at passers by with a BB gun. The culprits are yet to be identified.
PC Stacey McGarry, the community beat manager for the area, said police have stepped up patrols in the area and have urged residents nearby to be vigilant and report any incidents to them when they happen.
She said: “We are having some issues at the park and residents have reported to us there are youths drinking late at night and being anti-social. “I know residents are taking it upon themselves to clear up the mess.
“It’s a meeting place for young people from Rodbourne, Gorse Hill, Pinehurst and the town centre and those causing the trouble are aged from in their early teens up to the early 20s.
“It’s a lovely park and one of the main issues is littering.
“They can also be intimidating to people walking through the park when it is dark. “We have put extra patrols in place and have asked Swindon Council about the possibility of installing more lighting.
“I would urge people to contact us when they see or hear anti-social behaviour going on so we can react quickly.”
Kate Mawer, 59, who often picks up beer bottles and cans which have been discarded by the group, said she hoped the youths would respect the park and its neighbours.
She said: “They are not bad kids really but I just wish they would respect that other people use the park too.
“It’s always been such a nice place to have nearby and I take my grandkids there all the time.
“But the littering and the boozing is like nothing I’ve seen there before. “Sometimes they kick the bins open and take the aluminium bit out to start a fire inside it and they do smash bottles against the fences.
“I go round picking the bottles up and can easily collect quite a few bags full.
“It is a shame you have to tidy it up before you feel you can take your grandson to play or your dog for a walk.”
Anyone with any information about incidents in the park, or who witnesses anti-social behaviour there should contact the Gorse Hill policing team on the 101 number.
Comments(11)
Even Angrier Monkey
says...
11:38am Wed 17 Oct 12
Davey Gravey
says...
12:25pm Wed 17 Oct 12
LordAshOfTheBrake
says...
12:50pm Wed 17 Oct 12
rich37
says...
2:18pm Wed 17 Oct 12
Oliver Dummassie
says...
6:50pm Wed 17 Oct 12
No fun for them if it's allowed and legal
Gerequois
says...
9:19pm Wed 17 Oct 12
"Northland College Principal John Tapene has offered the following words from a judge who regularly deals with youth:
'Always we hear the cry from teenagers "What can we do, where can we go?"
'My answer is this: Go home, mow the lawn, wash the windows, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons, and after you've finished, read a book. Your town does not owe you recreational facilities and your parents do not owe you fun.
'The world does not owe you a living, you owe the world something. You owe it your time, energy and talent so that no one will be at war, in sickness and lonely again. In other words, grow up, stop being a cry baby, get out of your dream world and develop a backbone not a wishbone. Start behaving like a responsible person. You are important, you are needed. It's too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday. Someday is now and that somebody is you!' "
Oliver Dummassie
says...
9:34pm Wed 17 Oct 12
swindondad
says...
7:02am Thu 18 Oct 12
I love the quote.
If only people (young and old) would follow that advice we would all be so much happier.
Always Grumpy
says...
9:09am Sat 20 Oct 12
Gerequois wrote:Fantastic.
Words from 1959 - it was right then, and it's still right now....
"Northland College Principal John Tapene has offered the following words from a judge who regularly deals with youth:
'Always we hear the cry from teenagers "What can we do, where can we go?"
'My answer is this: Go home, mow the lawn, wash the windows, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons, and after you've finished, read a book. Your town does not owe you recreational facilities and your parents do not owe you fun.
'The world does not owe you a living, you owe the world something. You owe it your time, energy and talent so that no one will be at war, in sickness and lonely again. In other words, grow up, stop being a cry baby, get out of your dream world and develop a backbone not a wishbone. Start behaving like a responsible person. You are important, you are needed. It's too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday. Someday is now and that somebody is you!' "
rich37
says...
12:35pm Mon 22 Oct 12
MrBstard says...
10:54am Wed 17 Oct 12