Who will end this reign of terror?
By Paul Roberts
www.caringforyourbusiness.co.uk
Imagine a sleepy cul-de-sac where the vast majority of residents are pensioners seeing out their ‘twilight years’ in peace and harmony.
Now add a young, violent and abusive neighbour who terrorises the community, leaving a trail of devastation in her wake.
It’s the equivalent to giving someone a loaded gun and allowing them to roam the streets to do their worse.
Of course this doesn’t happen, you might think. But you would be wrong – and here’s an example to prove it.
For many years the homes in the cul-de-sac described here (a social housing development in Somerset) were occupied only by people aged 55 and over.
The cul-de-sac recently lost its ‘sheltered housing’ status – opening the door for tenants of all ages and backgrounds to live there.
Just a few months ago a young woman in her 20s moved into one of the houses and immediately made her intentions clear. She:
- Frightened and intimidated her elderly and frail neighbours with her foul and abusive language;
- Used her car as a ‘tool’ in her bullying campaign, parking in an increasinglyaggressive manner;
- Turned the outside of her property into a waste tip, not caring about the trouble she was starting to cause.
Her campaign of terror reached a climax this week when she (allegedly) poured paint over two cars, leaving a trail of damage in the street.
She was seen to hurl a tin of white paint – identical to that found on the cars – across a private garden, scattering its contents across gravel, a path and front door.
She angrily confronted her neighbours, hurling abuse after abuse at them – a scene witnessed by many passers-by.
Police were called, there is talk of an injunction being taken out against the troublesome woman – but she remains free to intimidate her neighbours.
Statements have been taken by her landlord – a housing association – from affected neighbours. The woman, apparently, now faces the possibility of eviction or a ‘transfer’ to another house.
In the meantime, residents – many being treated for cancer and heart and other serious health conditions – are terrified of further attacks.
The system seems incapable of protecting their security and rights – but appears to be designed to allow this woman to continue her reign of terror unchecked.
It seems that she was evicted (or ‘transferred’) from a social housing development just a few miles away earlier this year following complaints about her behaviour.
So how can someone like her be given another home – and in an area occupied by vulnerable elderly and disabled people?
It appears that she is classified as ‘needy’ and there is an obligation to house her, regardless of her appalling behaviour to others.
It is rumoured that she is ‘mentally ill’ and possibly protected under the Mental Health Act. So she may be receiving help under the ‘care in the community’ scheme.
It is clearly unacceptable that someone with a track record of violent and abusive behaviour be allowed to live among frail and elderly people.
If she stays, she will continue to wreak havoc in this community – and will no doubt be protected as she terrorises others.
If she moves on, she will be foisted upon another unsuspecting community who will have to endure her bullying antics.
The police and landlords seem incapable of dealing with her effectively. If this is care in the community, then it is about time it is abandoned.
The woman described here almost certainly needs 24-hour support and treatment in a secure environment until she can prove she is fit to live in a community.
The current system is clearly not working. In fact it stinks. If you disagree, ask the people in the sleepy Somerset cul-de-sac what they think.
December 30th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
[...] This chap placed an interesting blog post on Caring For Your Business Blog Archive Who will end this reign …Here’s a brief overview [...]
June 13th, 2011 at 7:30 am
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