The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Court action to remove travellers from park
Council: Occupations are ‘abuse of public facilities’
Court action is being taken after three separate travellers’ camps were established within a matter of weeks.
Aberdeen’s Hazlehead Park and Countesswells Woods, and Westhill Business Park in Aberdeenshire have all been targeted by travellers as the summer season begins.
Hazlehead councillor Martin Greig said yesterday: “Sadly these occupations are annual events. It is a case of abuse of public facilities. This is very troubling.”
“These encampments are deeply frustrating.
“They are intrusive and make the legitimate park users angry and frustrated because normal enjoyment is so reduced andmany feel intimidated and threatened by the presence of travellers.”
Due to its nature as a popular recreational area in the city, the local authority is taking steps to have the travellers removed from Hazlehead Park.
A council spokeswoman said: “The traveller liaison officer has been out to visit the encampment.
“Aberdeen City Council will be raising an action in the courts to have the group evicted from the site. We will monitor the situation meantime.”
The Forestry Commission, who own the site at Countesswells, yesterday served the travellers with a notice to quit, demanding that they vacate the site within 24 hours.
A Forestry Commission spokesman said: “Sheriff's officers should be at the site today. Solicitors are cur- rently preparing papers for court in an effort to remove the travellers from the car park.”
This is the latest in a string of traveller encampments in the north-east which remain a subject of frustration for residents,
“You feel uneasy, there are a lot of them and they have dogs”
angry at the mess left at the sites and fearful of intimidation from occupants.
One resident, who uses the Countesswells Forest walks, said: “When you go to the car parkandthe travellers are there you feel uneasy, there are a lot of them and they have dogs. A lot of people, especially women, won’t go while they are there as they feel unsafe being alone in the area.”
Aberdeenshire Council has been contacted by businesses in the Westhill Business Park after an encampment was set up, including a sign claming that the travellers had puppies for sale.
A council spokesman said: “We have visited the site and are attempting to get in contact with the owners. In the meantime the council will continue to monitor the situation.”
Last week travellers pitched up outside the open-air swimming pool
at Stonehaven, sparking outrage from the community. A nervous drugs courier who was carrying almost £100,000 of heroin panicked after seeing a specially-trained narcotics police dog called Rebus, a court has heard.
Sean Mcellin, 38, thought the animal would likely sniff out the illicit substances he was carrying through Aberdeen train station in September 2011.
Thehigh Court in Edinburgh yesterday heard Mcellin tried to avoid passing the animal, named after Ian Rankin’s character Detective Inspector John Rebus.
The first offender looked so shifty Rebus' handlers approached him and found he was carrying heroin with a £99,000 street value.
Mcellin, from Liverpool, admitted being involved in the supply of
“He was seen to be alone and appeared nervous”
heroin before Lordpentland. Prosecution lawyer Andrew Brown QC told the court Mcellin arrived at Aberdeen station from Glasgow and immediately saw Rebus. Mr Brown added: “He was seen to be alone and appeared extremely nervous.”
He made an obvious change in his route to avoid passing the police dog and the officers before being approached and found to have the drugs.
Lord Pentland deferred sentence on Mcellin until June 15.
Defence advocate Ronnie Renucci told the court he will explain his client's reasons for committing the offence on that date.