Teens on the prowl spark antisocial behaviour fears in Inverness neighbourhoods
INVERNESS has been hit by a spate of antisocial behaviour – just as the nights become lighter.
Since Saturday, there have been reports of antisocial activity across the city, including in Hilton, Inshes and Culloden.
And there is one theory that a group of teenagers are marauding in packs from area to area, causing hassle.
In one of the incidents, two primary schoolboys armed with a knife and metal pole allegedly attacked a group of youngsters at the play park, near Esk Road, Hilton.
Community leaders blame youth behaviour on the lack of things to do in their local area and have urged anyone who feels threatened or uncomfortable to call the police.
Local councillor Ken Gowans said that Inshes Park had been a trouble spot for sometime, but following police intervention it had been quieter recently.
But following reports of antisocial behaviour by youths near the new McDonalds drive-through on Tuesday night, he added: “Places like McDonalds are a magnet to young people. They seem to form packs and move around. The police are aware of this phenomenon.
“Anyone who sees anything untoward or is concerned about antisocial behaviour should phone the police who will take fairly stringent action.”
Mr Gowans was speaking after a woman posted on the Inverness Neighbourhood Watch Facebook page that a group of six teenagers had been hanging around Inshes Retail Park, causing a nuisance.
“I had to phone the police for their threatening behaviour towards myself and my family,” she wrote. “One threw another onto the bonnet of our car just after my husband and one-year-old grandson got into it.”
On Saturday evening the Inverness Neighbourhood Watch page lit up after it was claimed two schoolboys had allegedly attacked a group of youngsters in Hilton.
One was armed with a table knife, and he scratched a girl aged nine on the hand with it, while the other was wielding a metal pole, it was claimed.
The girl’s mother said yesterday she was “raging” at the time, but after the police became involved, the boy who had the knife came and apologised to her daughter.
The mum, who did not want to be identified, said: “I am just glad things were stopped when they were. It was kind of worrying at first, but fair play to the boy, he apologised and I hope that will be an end to it.”
Local councillor Jean Slater said an incident of this nature was concerning.
“It is quite worrying if this is the case that these young people were going about carrying weapons,” she said. “We need to keep being vigilant and report anything out of the ordinary to the police.”
A police spokeswoman confirmed officers had attended the incident in Hilton. “A nine-year-old boy was traced and taken home to his mother and he was warned about his behaviour,” she said.
Meanwhile, an incident at Culloden shops caused another local mother to post on Facebook that a group of young people were bringing mayhem to the area “on a nightly basis”.
She asked if any other parents knew who the youngsters were and if so, could they please have a word with them.
She added: “They are damaging cars, abusing residents around there and banging on their windows.
“They are intimidating and scaring the younger kids that play around there. They are drinking, smoking and blaring music most nights and leaving a hell of a mess with rubbish.”
David McGrath, chairman of Smithton and Culloden Community Council, said he was not aware of any serious problem around the shops, though there had been complaints about youngsters gathering on the benches at the Gruffalo Trail in Culloden House Avenue.
“The problem with Inverness is that you have so many satellite housing estates that have no infrastructure for the young people,” he said.
“Facilities like the BMX track and the skate-park are centred at the Bught and there is nothing over here.
“People will say there are facilities in the evening at Culloden Academy, but as one teenager remarked, ‘Would you go back to your office for entertainment at night?’
“There is a youth club run as a local trust, but youngsters here are looking for a skate-park or BMX track, access to sports pitches or perhaps an internet café.”
