TEEN THUGS ATTACK SUBO
Singer left cowering in fear by gang of 15 youths
BRITAIN’S Got Talent star Susan Boyle is being terrorised by a group of teen thugs.
The heartless mob has pelted her, subjected her to monstrous jibes and even hurled burning paper at her face.
At times up to 15 youths have pounced near the 56-year-old singer’s home, leaving her cowering in fear.
A witness to the cruel onslaught told the Sunday Mirror: “It’s horrendous.”
HORRIFIED witnesses told yesterday how Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle has been subjected to a terrifying barrage of insults and intimidation.
The singer has been hounded by a gang of up to 15 youths who prey on her near her home.
The abuse has become so bad that a spokesman for the 56-year-old singer last night said they were planning to call in police to ensure her safety – as it also emerged the gang was behind a string of attacks on other locals.
One witness blasted the mob for deliberately targeting SuBo. She has Asperger syndrome, which affects her ability to make sense of the world and process information.
In one incident the gang, mainly boys, set light to paper and threw it at her.
They had surrounded her at a bus stop before pelting the cowering star with anything to hand.
In another attack, the Scottish star was on a bus when a number of teens started throwing stones at the vehicle and hurling abuse.
She was also subjected to horrible name calling at the Mill Centre shopping mall near her home in Blackburn, West Lothian, where sources says the gang called her an “old, ugly b****”.
A witness to some of the attacks said: “We were inside the bus and they were throwing stones, screaming and shouting things.
INTIMIDATING
“Another time 10-15 of them were surrounding and throwing stuff.
“They lit a piece of paper and threw it at her face.
“Then I was going inside the Mill Centre, Susan was walking out and they were all standing at the entrance and they said to her ‘why don’t you get yourself a pair of glasses you ugly, old b****. It’s horrendous.”
Susan isn’t the only person who has fallen victim to the gang’s nasty antics.
Ne ig h b o u rs hav e complained to police about the intimidating behaviour of a group of heartless boys aged 16 to 18.
One told how she had been subjected to racist remarks and even had a glass bottle thrown at her.
She said: “While I was waiting at the bus they lobbed a glass bottle at my head. Luckily, it missed – it would have been painful if it had hit me.
“I’ve called the police 15 times. I’ve had to speak to victim support, I’ve had to call helplines because I’ve felt suicidal.
“They’re known to the community. They set the children’s park on fire, they put fireworks through somebody’s door, they threw eggs at a wee girl’s window.
“They pick on the most vulnerable people. If there is more than one person they won’t do it – because they are too scared. It’s old people, children, mentally ill people. It’s really disgusting.”
Susan lives in the three-bedroom former council house which she grew up in. She bought it soon after finishing second on BGT in 2009.
She had also purchased a fivebedroom £300,000 new-build detached villa – which she calls The Posh House – at the other end of the small town. But she couldn’t settle there so gave it to a niece.
The star’s longtime neighbours are doing all they can to look out for her and offer some protection.
One said of the abuse: “Since finding fame she has been getting hassle off the youngsters.
“They go up and down this road. You or I could handle it but with Susan’s condition it makes it harder.
“It seems to come and go with the youngsters. The other neighbours will chase them off if they see anything.”
In an interview last year Susan heaped praise on her local community for helping her out.
She said: “I have great neighbours. They change my lightbulbs and everything because I can’t do that.”
Susan shot to fame with her rendition of I Dreamed A Dream on BGT. And performing to packed arenas fulfilled a life’s ambition. She released an album
under the same title and it topped charts around the world and became the UK’s best-selling debut album of all time.
Susan had four more top 10 albums and sold 25 million records worldwide.
She has earned £ 26million – but money isn’t that important to the downto-earth star. The most expensive items she owns are said to be a £300 fur coat and a bottle of Chanel No5.
CRIPPLING
She is very generous and donates to several charities, as well as helping out friends and family. Susan has paid off mortgages and debts and said she would never see loved ones strapped for cash.
Last year she signed a new deal with Simon Cowell’s Syco label and released the album A Wonderful World.
But it was a relatively rare foray back into showbiz for a star who has kept a low profile in recent years after suffering health problems. In 2012 Susan was diagnosed with Asperger’s, a form of autism. In 2015 she was told she had type 2 diabetes and had to lose weight. She did – shedding 2st.
Last year Susan said her Asperger’s was so crippling that she is unable to set dates for another tour.
There have been personal traumas, including a feud with brother Gerry. And her misery grew when her sister Bridie McCaw, 73, died last October.
A series of highprofile episodes in 2016 included one at Heathrow, where she was escorted from the BA lounge by police. She said of the incident: “It’s like being on a rollercoaster. I’m always up and down. With guidance, I can stay on a level. I have breathing exercises I can do. Losing Bridie has been very hard. She encour- aged me in all I did and came to my shows. I just remind myself she is in a beautiful place, not in pain and is watching over me.”
Susan has also healed her two-year rift with Gerry, 62. They fell out over claims he threatened suicide if Susan didn’t give him £50,000 – allegations he strongly denied.
Susan’s condition means her behaviour is unpredictable and a hint of stress can cause a meltdown – so live shows are a risk and potentially difficult for her to deal with.
But last month she did perform at the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, alongside Rod Stewart and the Bay City Rollers. Then she did a private performance in London a week later.