YOUTH CRIME BUBBLES AWAY FOR VICTIMS

FOR Far North Queenslanders, “keeping us safe” means something entirely different to what the state government thinks. While the pandemic has chewed most of the government’s time and energy for the past 18 months, the Far North’s crime problem keeps on keeping on.

For Bentley Park couple Doug Paterson and his wife, Bec, keeping safe means doing everything they can to make that happen because they’ve pretty much given up on our lawmakers to help them.

The mining industry manager and schoolteacher have been broken into on four separate occasions in the past month by young crims.

Instead of spending their time preparing to bring a new life into the world, they’re spending money and time trying to protect their lives and property from somebody else’s kids who don’t give a damn about them.

They’ve suffered damage and break-ins to both their vehicle and home and have installed security cameras to try to catch the punks.

It’s distressing to see the video. They’ve been disheartened to hear police call the crims “regulars” because it shows that the legal system isn’t working.

They’re not the only victims. Edmonton Junior Rugby League Club has been hit yet again, showing these “regulars” have got the last laugh, which is galling.

President Barry Beswick and all the volunteers at Edmonton must just shake their heads and wonder why they bother.

For Doug and Bec, they have little interest in any policies other than ones that will fix the very real threat to their safety.

Sadly, they’re not the only victims and even sadder, they won’t be the last.