PARENTS must shoulder some of the blame for young thugs causing havoc in Galliagh, police and community leaders have said, as two more arrests were made last night.
Shots were fired at police in Leafair on Wednesday night as bricks and bottles were thrown. A resident was also attacked.
A 15-year-old boy and a 30-year-old man were arrested for assault on police and disorderly behaviour last night.
The boy was released pending a report from a youth diversion officer while the man has been charged to appear at Derry Magistrates’ Court on May 6.
Community worker Peter McDonald praised police for increasing patrols but said parents must take more responsibility for their children.
Mr McDonald warned that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive had the power to evict social housing tenants if families failed to keep their children under control.
Stephen Deery, a resident of the Leafair estate, told BBC Radio Foyle that the situation was calmer on Thursday night compared to the night before, but said large groups of youths had still gathered outside his home to drink alcohol.
Mr Deery said his family has not been able to sleep properly for the last week, because of anti-social behaviour in the street.
“We’re up every night, me and my son, out trying to move them on and the abuse they give you is just terrible Then they start throwing bottles at the house and they tried to burn my hedges twice,” he told Radio Foyle today.
Mr Deery also said youths had threatened to set fire to his car.
He called for part of the estate to be fenced off, to prevent young people from gathering in the area.
Ch Insp Tony Callaghan said additional local neighbourhood officers were on patrol in the city on Thursday night to “reassure residents, deal with anti-social behaviour and criminality and keep people safe”.
Tags:
