Interface yobs causing months of distress for vulnerable mum

A MOTHER with learning difficulties living in an interface area of north Belfast has been subjected to months of antisocial behaviour from groups of youths.

Natasha Wallace, who has a one-year-old child, lives on Hallidays Road just off the Limestone Road. Her mother Nicola Wallace said her daughter’s mental health has deteriorated as a result of continuous antisocial behaviour since May last year.

CCTV from outside Natasha’s house shows a large group of youths chasing another group on Sunday evening. Nicola said the footage shows a small part of the kind of behaviour her daughter has been subjected over months.

“It was really bad in the summer,” Nicola said.

“Just groups of lads and they are just constantly trying to start riots. They are hanging about her house being loud because she lives right on the corner.

“There was an incident in the summer when someone was arrested with a knife; so we are not just talking about kids messing about.

“My daughter gets distressed. Things affect her differently than they affect us. We feel like nobody is listening to us.”

Police said they attended the scene after reports of stone throwing and cars being damaged. However, no damage was found.

Following a series of incidents over the summer, Nicola and her daughter attended a meeting with councillors to discuss the antisocial behaviour.

Nicola said police pledged to take a more proactive approach to tackle the problem but her daughter is still suffering.

“She rings the police and then they don’t see them for an hour,” she said. “The police drive in an rev their engines and then all the kids run away. When they go the kids come back again.

“It is really scaring her and giving her really bad anxiety. If it was me I would go out and tell them to go away, but I tell her not go out now.

“She has a swing set in her garden for her child and the kids were in trying to wreck that. She did go out and they were throwing stones at her window because she went out to complain about that.”

SDLP councillor Paul McCusker said many fights are organised on social media making the problem difficult to tackle.

“Antisocial behaviour has been a big concern for residents. There has been an increase in the last year,” he said.

“There have been ongoing meetings and one of the things we have asked for is more police visibility. We have had youth workers out trying to engage these young people and get them to stop being involved in this.”

“It can be very frightening for anybody, particularly anyone who has a learning disability, and people who live on this stretch of road want to feel safe in their own homes.”

Mr McCusker called for more investment in the area to provide young people with things to do on the weekends.

He also warned young people in the area they face ruining their futures if they get a criminal records for engaging in antisocial behaviour.

PSNI Inspector Paul Noble said people had a right to feel safe in their homes “but it is quite apparent that some people are still choosing to ignore our repeated appeals and warnings”.

“Parents and guardians need to prevent young people from becoming involved or caught up in these activities,” he said.

“We do not want to criminalise young people; however, if offences are identified we will deal with these robustly.”