Young vandals cause distress

JUST what did the 14 youngsters hope to achieve by breaking in and causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage to two sporting clubs in the southern suburbs of Cairns?

Were they revenge attacks or blatant vandalism to relieve their pathetic boredom?

What they have done is hurt their communities and fellow young citizens.

The venues, the Walker Rd sporting complex at Edmonton and Pyramid Power AFL and Sporting Club at Gordonvale, were established to help youth develop their sporting careers, give them something constructive to do, to grow as model community citizens, to learn about teamwork and to give back to society.

What these vandals have done is shattered dreams and the handwork of parents, their children and volunteers.

These clubs are not wealthy by any means and they operate in battler suburbs.

They provide AFL, soccer, cricket. softball and baseball facilities for hundreds of youngsters.

The offenders were aged between 11 and 15 and will be dealt with under the Youth Justice Act, which basically means a slap on the wrist.

Where were the parents/ guardians of these children who were not at home or under supervision and under the cover of darkness committed these crimes, which also included arson and defecation?

There is a lack of consequence by the juvenile delinquents and their parents/guardians.

They should be made to front up to the clubs, apologise and perform some voluntary work as recompense.

But there is no doubt that they, nor their parents/guardians, give a damn. Nick Dalton Deputy editor