Youth Disorder In Bedlington

[Jester]

Just wondering if anybody else has had enough of the youth disorder in the Bedlington Area?

I'm in the Meadowdale Farm area of the town and over the last 2 years had nothing but problems with youths aged 12-16 constantly banging on the door, kicking the panels of the garge in and then standing on the corner of the street "egging" us on with insults and threatening to burn the house down. When chased they disappear across the spare ground behind Featherstone Grove onto the back path that passes Meadowdale Middle School and usually make their escape to join the crowds milling around outside Moby's fish and chip shop for protection and to hide.

Some may say it's just a case of "Knocky-Door-Ginger" and ignore it but after 1 year of trying to deal with it ourselves followed by 1 year of getting the police involved (called 6 times during the last 8 months alone) we've just about had enough!

Friday 30th October was the latest incident. Garage door panel kicked in, door bell hammered and ran off again. This resulted in my 5yr old crying and upset once more and the police arriving too late to catch them.

A house in the next close was targeted(they have also been having the same problems) and their car had been vandalised.

When confornting the youths outside Moby's about it within 30 mins of it happening(the incident took place at approx 9:15pm) they said a group had passed them and told them all they were going to wreck cars and have a chase and deliberately went down that "back path" towards our estate.

Without going into great detail here, the running theme seems to be that they all go to St.Benet Biscops school and there seems to be something going on that crosses a few of the years(years 9,10 and 11) and they see it as fun to deliberately target certain houses to get a reaction!!....well they do....it's got my 5yr old frightened to go to bed now incase the "bad boys" come back.

I'm certainly not saying that it's all those kids that go to that particular school of course but it's just that everytime i ask those kids who have seen them run off...they say they are from that school and in those years but can't give their names/nicknames..obviously scared of comeback.

Police involved but as we all know they have limited effect.

St.Benet Biscops say it's out of school hours...not their problem.

Have tried ignoring them so they get bored and give up....hasn't worked!

Been warned off dealing with it myself by the police as i'll get into trouble.

Can't afford to move, so we can't even give them their moment of triumph!

Whats next eh?

Totally at a loss what to do and now me, my wife and family are just wondering when it's going to kick off again!

In the meantime, i'll continue to pass the large groups hanging around and continue to wonder if it's them. They know my address, make of car and me by sight now....there's no way to try and catch them!

I know what i'd love to do to them if i do manage to get them...but can't say on this public forum.....i'm sure you understand..

Usually the trouble happens when the schools break up for holiday or any weekend night. I've even had to cancel 70th birthday drinks for my own father on a night out to respond to a call from my wife who had ignored a few problems that evening before eventually calling me.

Anybody got any idea's before it escalates even further?

Help appreciated before i call in a few favours and get into trouble myself.

PS- Just for the record, to my knowledge we haven't "crossed" anybody in anyway whatsoever!

[Monsta®]

buy a shotgun or a few rotties or if they knocking on your door wire the knocker to the mains! zap the little bar-stewards

[Jester]

Ahhhhh...if only i could get away with it!

[Cympil]

Ahhhhh...if only i could get away with it!

Have you not got CCTV up? If you catch them on video at least you`ll know who they are and if they`ve been kicking your garage door in you`ll be able to get them charged with criminal damage or disturbing the peace (something like that anyway)

[Merlin]

Another case of the do-gooders of this country, and this town, of putting right in the hands of the wrong!

Call in the favours mate but make sure you got plenty of witness's that you were somewhere else,these yobs only understand one thing and thats a good kicking

[cocknose]

well if there was things in bedlington for the younger generation to do or somewhere for them to go without being moved away by the police I'm sure they wont be knocking on doors for a chase its all these do gooders and the likes that are to blame its hardly surprising

and as for calling in favours i think thats a bad thing to say on a public forum youl only end up making things worse for yourself

try installing cctv

Edited November 2, 2009 by BAT_MAN

[Jester]

Thanks for the replies!

CCTV has been suggested by the police this weekend and as Cympil has mentioned, if i get them on camera damaging the property, then i could get a prosecution, so that will probably be the next step!

As for mentioning certain things on a public forum, consider it a "wish list" then!

And oh, how i wish!

One of these days, one of them will trip up while running away and i'm sure i'll extend the hand of friendship....NOT !!!

Thanks all.

Sometimes just getting things off your chest does you the world of good!

[Jester]

Just to add to the posting.

Friday was "Hell" according to the police. They were kept busy down the Market Place about the same time with fights breaking out and trouble caused, not by the few drinkers frequenting the pubs but, again, young'uns pissed out of their tiny minds walking the streets causing mayhem.

It's getting so bad, instead of warnings, they are going for a "zero tolerance" stand and going to actually start arresting the so and so's over the coming weeks...at least that's something!

When i was a young'un in the 80's(yeah, i'm getting on!), i was just happy if i got served in the North without being asked my age and then trying to walk home to the station saying that i was ok and trying to walk straight at the same time! No trouble...just straight to the chinese at the station for the good old chips+gravy..cos it was cheap and then home!

Memories eh?

Bedlington lad all my life and i still love it (for some strange reason ) but it's not the same anymore, but which town is these days?

Well, that's enough of the long postings on the matter....promise to be more happier and shorter now that i've re-discovered this forum!

Night Peeps!

[mercuryg]

well if there was things in bedlington for the younger generation to do or somewhere for them to go without being moved away by the police I'm sure they wont be knocking on doors for a chase its all these do gooders and the likes that are to blame its hardly surprising

It always riles me greatly when I read this excuse, time and time again, as a reason for the bad behaviour of idiots. I was brought up in a town where there was absolutely nothing to do when we were young bar ride our bikes and gather with mates for a natter. Did we indulge in the behaviour described by Jester? No, we didn't, because had we done so the local bobby would have found us, given us a bloody great clip around the ear and deliver us to our parents with a full explanation. I'll lay odds that the majority of these kids have a playstation, a computer, whatever, that can give them far more in terms of something 'to do' than anything I had in my youth. It's not an excuse at all.

I agree with the bit about the 'do gooders' but maybe in a different way; it's largely the lax attitude of parents who are not held responsible for the beahaviour of their kids.

and as for calling in favours i think thats a bad thing to say on a public forum youl only end up making things worse for yourself

I disagree; call in those favours and give the little !*!@# a fright. We all know it wasn;t Jester, after all....

try installing cctv

A story; a friend of mine had been suffering a great deal of torment from someone, no details given here for obvious reasons, and did just this - installed CCTV at home. Said tormentor was caught several times causing bother, vandalism, damage outside of home. Did it help? No, it didn't, because there is still teh need for a positive identification, something not always possible on CCTV, especially in the dark. Don't pay the money for teh CCTV, offer it to some nice people to help.

[cocknose]

It always riles me greatly when I read this excuse, time and time again, as a reason for the bad behaviour of idiots. I was brought up in a town where there was absolutely nothing to do when we were young bar ride our bikes and gather with mates for a natter

yes but when the kids these days gather in groups for a natter they get told to move/go home we don't want you up here or round here so in that case its not surprising that they've turned to getting chases or knocking on doors

I'll lay odds that the majority of these kids have a playstation, a computer, whatever, that can give them far more in terms of something 'to do' than anything I had in my youth

so what your saying is all the kids that have computers/playstations should just stay in the house 24/7 and play on these things to give them something to do that way it will keep them out of bother

I agree with the bit about the 'do gooders' but maybe in a different way; it's largely the lax attitude of parents who are not held responsible for the behaviour of their kids.

no no no i totally disagree on this it is all down to the do gooders its got nothing to do with the lax attitude of the parents, what do you expect them to do belt the youngins give them a good clip ? no thanks to the do gooders this is no longer possible hence why the kids run wild.

plus if there was places for the kids to go without being moved along it would all be different fact

Edited November 3, 2009 by chamone

[mercuryg]

yes but when the kids these days gather in groups for a natter they get told to move/go home we don't want you up here or round here so in that case its not surprising that they've turned to getting chases or knocking on doors

What on eart do you mean 'it's not surprising' that they've turned to what is, essentially, disgracefully bad behaviour? It should be very, very surprising, and it shouldn't be happening! What a lackadaisical attitude it is that you consider this to be the fault entirely of others, and not the kids themselves!

so what your saying is all the kids that have computers/playstations should just stay in the house 24/7 and play on these things to give them something to do that way it well keep them out of bother

No, I'm saying that there IS something for them to do! My mates used to come round to my house and play on Scalextric or whatever, or i'd go to there's and do something else. Why has it suddenly come to be an excuse that kids are behaving badly because they haven't got 'somewhere to go'? We didn't have a sports centre, a youth club, a leisure centre or whatever, we made our own fun. the difference was, it wasn;t at someone else's expense!

no no no i totally disagree on this it is all down to the do gooders its got nothing to do with the lax attitude of the parents, what do you expect them to do belt the youngins give them a good clip ? no thanks to the do gooders this is no longer possible hence why the kids run wild.

plus if there was places for the kids to go without being moved along it would all be different fact

I agree with you regards the do gooders, but again you're shirking the responsibility of both the kids and the parents.

Look, these kids who bang on Jester's door and kick his garage in, are they doing it because they have 'nothing else to do'? No, are they !*!@# , they are doing it because a) they choose to, they think its fun and c) they get away with it.

Do they go home and tell their parents 'hey dad, mum, I kicked seven shades out of this guys garage door tonight, it was great fun!'? No, they don't, and the vast majority of those parents haven't got a bloody clue that they are doing anything fo the sort. What sort of parent lets (according to Jester) a nine year old kid hang out on the street like that? Has that crossed your mind? What has that to do with 'do gooders' and the like?

These kids aren't forced to kick in garages and bang on doors, and then entice the victims with abuse, they CHOOSE to do it.

I will say one thing - those that indulge in this sort of behaviour are very much in the minority; this is yet another confirmation of the fact that the reasons you give (and it's not you, there are others) are not justifiable; if it was because they had 'nothing to do' and 'nowhere to go' they would all be at it. They're not, so tell me, where are the rest, the majority?

[Jester]

With all respect Chamone, i totally agree with mercuryg's view on the matter!

These kids are aged 12-16 with most instances being caused to me personally by the older ones(ie 15-16).

At that age, they know right from wrong as far as i'm concerned.

Either the parents influence on their upbringing has failed or the school(as a learning establishment) as failed to educate them enough to join a civilised society...or....as it's my guess....they have just made their own minds up and decided to join their mates in making other people's lives a misery !!!

Very unlikely they'll grow up to be a benefit to us all if they carry on like this.

My family are suffering, while these scumbags have their laughs.

I wouldn't wish it on anybody else and i'm sure knowbody in their right mind would continue to put up with the present situation while thinking "ah, if only they had something else to do"

I'm sure that the parents don't know what their kids are up to (i'd like to think so anyway) but if my kid was out on a weekend night with their "mates" and there was umpteen articles in the local press with regards to disorder in the town, then i'd be checking them out for sure.

In the meantime, i'm looking into some discreet cctv to see if it helps, but we'll see. I'm not on here to give the view of me being a martyr against the crime around here or anything like that....just a married guy with a very young family who is getting frustrated by the idiots around here out to cause us grief. I came onto the forum to get a few things off my chest and i'm pleased to see there has been some replies to my posting. Maybe it's a form of therapy for me!

Thanks all!

[Mr Darn]

Get yourself to Netto, Black and white CCTV camera for under £20 (16.99 i think) with night vision. Hook it up to a video and hit record when you hear anything.

[Vic Patterson]

Respect and accountability! Many of the youth today have no respect for others, or themselves, when we took away the teachers ability to teach and the police the ability to do their job and to some extent the right for parents to bring up their children the way they were brought up, we lost control of the children!

"Do Gooders" or "Bleeding hearts" they go under many names are destroying our youth yet it's what they profess to be protecting and as long as politicians have to be "politically correct" to get re-elected then I can't see things changing.

Vic

[cocknose]

Respect and accountability! Many of the youth today have no respect for others, or themselves, when we took away the teachers ability to teach and the police the ability to do their job and to some extent the right for parents to bring up their children the way they were brought up, we lost control of the children!

"Do Gooders" or "Bleeding hearts" they go under many names are destroying our youth yet it's what they profess to be protecting and as long as politicians have to be "politically correct" to get re-elected then I can't see things changing.

Vic

well said

[mercuryg]

Chamone, yare absolutely right in agreeing with Vic's views regarding the political correctness that affects society these days, but that does not mean we can ignore the basic responsibility that each of us has. Give the kids a place to go and the rogue element - those that Jester is on about - would still act as they do, because that's them, that's how they are. When I was a kid there were those we avoided, those who smashed up phone boxes and the like; they didn't do it because they had 'nothing to do' or 'nowhere to go', they did it because they were badly behaved kids. Someone, somewhere, has to take responsibility for that, aned it's not the 'authorities' by giving them a building of their own to smash up, it's the parents.

Vic alludes to the removal of power from teachers and police; that's right, but parents still have a responsibility, and an ability, to bring up their kids correctly. Many of my friends have beautifully behaved children of all ages, well brought up and extremely pleasant, and they are not the minority but the majority. Most kids are like that. That's why these 'theories' don't stack up.

[Mr Darn]

The problem with the above is: Everyones kids are angels.

My nephew is the best behaved kid i know. always helpful, and a general good lad.

I had the opportunity to view his 'play' up the street, and i was appalled.

As well as coughing his guts up trying to smoke, i also seen him practically bullied into taking a shot at the bus shelter, to try and break the window. Even though he refused several times, he finally gave in and picked up a rock. Obviously i stepped in at this point.

Now he's confined to our street where we can keep an eye on him, but now he's bullied at school for being a "mummy's boy". No wonder he feels he has to be bad to fit in.

How do you suggest that situation is delt with?

I'm really interested in the answer, because now me and my sister are at a loss.

[Vic Patterson]

I started off by saying "many of the youth today" which is true I also feel the majority of youth are well brought up, well behaved respectful members of our society, they do not need the extra attention demanded of the few "bad apples". I know a few parents who are terrified of their children, the kids defy parents, teachers, police and social workers because they have the "law" on their side! many of these kids are from good decent homes with good parents and siblings.

I'm only guessing when I suggest it's because the elected politicians who have the power to change the laws wont because it is not "politically correct" maybe they feel the children do need protecting from parents, police and teachers, I'm certainly open to hear other "theories" as to why a few children can run amok in today's society untouched.

I guess if we had the all answers there probably wouldn't be a problem!

Vic

[Claire]

A lot of the post above mention its cause the kids of today have nowhere to go.........What about Blyth, Ashington, Morpeth do they have the same probelms as Bedlington seems to have? Cause those kids all have lesuire centre's to go to!

Also with the issue of respect even 10 years ago when I was at school I was disgraced with the lack of respect others seemed to show and its just getting worse. I say bring back national service for anyone with and ASBO!

[Symptoms]

Jester - you must resist the attractive temptation of 'taking the law into your own hands'. Don't shout at them, don't chase them, don't touch them, don't restrain them unless you want to invite the '4 o'clock knock' from Plod. A pound to a pinch of dog turd if you do any of the above their feckless parents will report you and you will be prosecuted ... you're an easy target for the forces of law and order. We've all read in the press the outrageous tales of decent folks being criminalised because they felt helpless before the tide of teenage anti-social behaviour.

You posted that "St.Benet Biscops say it's out of school hours...not their problem" ... well of course it's their problem; if these little shits can be identified as being pupils there then they are bringing the School's name into disrepute and can/should be disciplined. If the Head doesn't do anything then go over his head to the Chair of Governors and send a copy of the complaint to the Top Bish at the Diocese.

Try to get the local press involved ... they loves these type of stories ... and there's nothing more potent than press involvement to oil Plods works (and the School's). Shame them into action! Others here have talked about Asbos (conditions can include 'exclusion zones'), maybe worth instigating but I don't know how.

Anyway, I blame it all on Esther Rantzen for founding Childline, that august body dedicated to child protection. Trouble is they also protect the shits from their parents who try to discipline them; how many parents out there have heard the refrain "if you ground me/smack me/hold-back the pocket money/no telly/send me to my room/ I'll call Childline and complain of abuse"? Of course some decent parents run scared whilst the feckless lot couldn't give a monkeys what their brats are up to.

Oh dear, I'm morphing from a Guardian reader into something that takes The Daily Mail!

Edited November 7, 2009 by Symptoms

[Dave]

Ive said it before on here and ill say it again, these little bas***ds need sorting out, get a hold of the ring leader and administer some re education.

[Merlin]

[Monsta®]

Ive said it before on here and ill say it again, these little bas***ds need sorting out, get a hold of the ring leader and administer some re education.

why just the ring leader? do the other shits not need battering to!

[raineykid]

When I grew up in Bedlington,St Benet Biscops would of made it their problem.no matter what time it was.

I can't imagine Mr Bryce or HVK saying "its not within school hours,not our problem"

They probably given you a new doormat made out of our flayed skin.

[Toby1996]

Ok, this is from the point of view of an 18 year old lad, from Bedlington, who is still curently in Bennies 6th form.

Jester, my advice to you is a mobile phone or even better, a video camera, when they come again, try and catch them on camera. the more identifiable features you can get, the better.

About the 'lack of things to do' issue; i have to completely agree that there is nowhere for me to go and 'hang-out' with my friends. Ill admit, im not perfect, but iv had a bloody good upbringing. Iv been punished at home, and i have to say, it has worked becuase i understand what i have done wrong! I have been wrapped in a protective blanket all my life. Iv had alcohol at home since i was about 12, but it was strictly monitored by my parents, 1 can of lager, then no more. they wouldnt let me watch a damn 12 rated film untill i was 13, the first internet connection we had, used parental controls to stop me from doing 'whatever i wanted'. I am an only child, therefore iv learned to be quite lonley, and how to cope/entertain myself. Most of the kids causing problems, i can almost guarantee will have siblings, rivalry and the like causes most of the problems. Then when a sibling moves on, they are left alone, meaning that they rely on their friends to kee them entertained. Iv never been very sociable with kids my own age, infact, i only have 2 close friends who i will make an effort to see, most of the time, i entertain myself on my computer or playstation playing games. EVERY NOW AND THEN, i have a friend in the house to have a game on the playstation, very rare because my prents like their privacy and iv only ever had 1 sleepover! My being alone hasnt helped me socially, i dont hang around with a group of friends, i dont even attend the 6th form socials which are held even though i can legally drink. As i was growing up, if i had a centeral place where i could 'hang out' and somewhere where my parents will believe i am safe, i would have been alot more comftorable in groups my age (i can cope with older people no problem). So now, the only regular socialisation is at school which i only attend for my lessons and over my damned computer just becuase i had nothing to do! Infact, the most fun I had in bedlington was Tommy turning on the christmas lights. May i point out that Bennies provided the band and equipment for that, as well as some trusted 6th formers working to keep the peace?

The question raised about Bennies is what can they do to solve anti social behaviour? i know for a fact that if the 'kept me in detention' i would refuse to turn up. Outside of their gates is WELL out of their control. the FULL issue here is parenting and i think that i am the perfect example of that. Im sick of being the minority, walking down the front street with all the grannies glaring at me just because of my age... i have done nothing wrong, and i am sick of being tarred with the same brush. These are groups of 10-15 people who cause the problems, we are not all taboo'd.

Again, to Jester who is the main victim (that we know of) listen to what Symptoms said

resist the attractive temptation of 'taking the law into your own hands'. Don't shout at them, don't chase them, don't touch them, don't restrain them

They WANT a reaction from you, iused to kick a football against a garage door when at my grandparents, ill point out that i had the garage owners permission, however the noise disturbed some of the people in the houses around the area, they came and complained and we were able to say 'and what can you do about it?' (this was a good few years ago mind, in the summer holidays when i was BORED, with NOTHING to do except play outside with my friends, no computers/playstations ect.) Once again, it comes down to the fact that we have nothing to do! you mentioned morpet earlier, they have a damn'd park to play in, things which can entertain them in some way shape or form.

Anyway, i just figured that this opinion from someone who has just left the age group could be an important part of the discussion.

I feel for you Jester, i really do and if there was something i could do to help you, i would do it!

Toby