War declared on Drunken Hayling Youths

- Fri 10th Dec 2004

The local police say they are getting tough with the gangs of youths who roam the Island terrorising the community.
The police say they will crack down on the problem of up to 40 local teenagers some of whom are girls, causing major concerns on the streets and public places.
For the culprits to be caught in the act of causing mayhem, CCTV mobile CCTV cameras will be employed.
The police also say that offenders when caught and prosecuted, may be subject to Anti Social Behaviour Orders (ASBO).

The local police force, who say their resources are stretched already, will treat the problem as urgent and clamp down on the offenders.

PC Gill Osbourne who is employed out of the Hayling Island sub-station, said
"Dozens of ASBO warning letters have already been issued to the parents of the teenagers"
She also said "The numbers of the teenagers in the gangs is a problem. They are very large and it is becoming difficult to predict their actions from week to week. Many of them are teenage girls who are drunk"

The gangs appear to congregate in Hayling and Mengham Park.
P.C.Colbourne and her colleagues have been forced to take action after a rise in complaints from local residents. Those living in St. Mary's Road have complained about damage to fences with plants and trees being uprooted constantly.
The police have also been victims of abuse, said P.C. Colboune, as yobs threw lighted fireworks at her as she walked the local area.
She felt at risk enough to have to run for cover in her car.
She said "We are going out in our vans and will film them as they cause the problems.
We will catch and prosecute the persistant offenders and will take the teenagers home and confront the parents with the offenders.

One of our local councillors, David Collins (East Hayling) put the cause of the problem on boredom, saying "Young people have nowhere to go on the Island, it is an ongoing problem and is at the top of our priority list.

Teenagers have little to do on the Island.
All kids want is somewhere they can go and not be bothered"

By forum user, Mat