THE full extent of Downpatrick’s anti-social behaviour problem was laid bare during an online public meeting last week.
Residents, business owners, community representatives and politicians outlined a catalogue of disturbing incidents with reports that children as young as 10 are involved in a cycle of trouble at various hot spots across the town.
There were reports of parents ping off children who menacingly move about the town centre in large numbers with some people claiming that they have also witnessed parents supplying young people with alcohol.
The recent arson attack at the former Downe Hospital site — where work is underway to provide 103 new social homes — has prompted calls for the anti-social issue to be tackled head on.
And while some politicians are concerned about Downpatrick being painted in a bad light, the scale of the problem highlighted during the online meeting provided a detailed insight into what exactly is going on, with reports that one family was forced to move home by the troublemakers.
Ironically, just days after last Thursday evening’s meeting with those who took part in the session digesting what they had heard, there were reports of yet more trouble in the town centre last weekend.
Over recent weeks and months there have been repeated attacks at the St Patrick Centre, with staff at the nearby bus station assaulted and spat it, with a number of their cars also damaged.
Business owners in St Patrick Square have expressed concern about the anti-social behaviour as have officials at the Downpatrick and Co Down Railway, with problems and incidents at Thomas Russell Park, English Street, Mount Crescent and Knocknashinna also highlighted.
Some concerned residents have been described as “prisoners in their own homes” while it was
revealed last week that although police have prepared cases against a number of individuals and forwarded them to the Public Prosecution Service, no further action has been taken, leaving officers frustrated.
A number of gang leaders are believed to be orchestrating the trouble in the town centre, with concern that young children who are caught up in the wave of anti-social behaviour may end up getting involved in serious crimes and a criminal record.
PSNI officers who took part in the virtual meeting appealed to people to report all incidents to them with politicians offering to do this on behalf of residents who were afraid to.
The district’s Policing and Community Safety Partnership is currently working on an action plan to address the anti-social behaviour issue, with residents and the business community particularly keen to see its detail and implementation.
Last week’s meeting was told that there are a number of gang leaders orchestrating the anti-social behaviour with calls for a collective response to deal with the problem, including closing a laneway which connects English Street with the Market Street car park in the evenings.
Cutting back trees at the Grove area and increased CCTV cameras at this part of the town was also suggested, alongside the provision of new security fencing at the rear of homes at Thomas Russell Park.
It was also revealed that Clanmill Housing is hoping that residents will soon be able to move into new homes at the former hospital site with the hope that their presence will reduce anti-social behaviour at this particular location.
With recent statistics confirming that Downpatrick is the worst area for anti-social behaviour across the entire Newry, Mourne and Down Council area, the public meeting called for a partnership approach involving a range of agencies to deal with the problem.
Politicians agree that people need to feel supported, particularly the most vulnerable in the community and that they do not feel forgotten about or left behind.
Rowallane councillor Patrick Brown, who organised the virtual meeting with Downpatrick councillor Cadogan Enright, described the event as “constructive” and one that demonstrated how widespread the anti-social behaviour issue has become and the need for collective action to address it.
He said that as well as hearing some of the harrowing experiences of those affected by ongoing trouble during the meeting, a number constructive solutions were discussed and will be followed up through continued partnership working among a number of key agencies.
Cllr Brown, who lives in Downpatrick, revealed that he has been verbally threatened on numerous occasions with his home and car also targeted by troublemakers.
He said it was clear that Covid and the fact that activities for young people cannot happen had contributed to the “anti-social behaviour epidemic”.
He added: “Whilst it is limited what can be done in terms of diversionary activities at the moment, it’s important that as a community we look forward to find ways to positively engage and empower young people who are at risk of being led down a dark path by a small number of dangerous, often older, ringleaders.
“It is also important that our justice system responds accordingly to punish repeat offenders who have made local residents in several parts of the town feel like prisoners in their own homes over recent months.”