SOUTH WALES: Street under siege by yobs

Street under siege by yobs


RESIDENTS in a Newport street told how they are being subjected to weekly intimidation and vandalism attacks by gangs of up to 50 drunken youths.

Locals on Dawson Close, Ringland, said they were sick of youths drinking heavily, jumping on cars, urinating in their gardens, making intimidating threats and leaving dozens of beer cans and bottles in their wake.

The residents, many of whom are elderly, pleaded with council bosses and police to permanently close off a subway at the end of their street where gangs gather every weekend.

The subway provides a walkway under the SDR towards Llanwern Village.

One resident, Ken Edwards, 42, told the Argus he has put his house up for sale because the catalogue of intimidating behaviour has become too much.

Others told of youths trampling their gardens, ripping wing mirrors from their cars, and engaging in sexual activity within open view of their homes.

An Argus photographer witnessed the intimidation first hand on Sunday when two teenagers on bicycles warned residents to "watch your windows" when they were told we were covering the story.

Mr Edwards said: "They have even tried setting fire to fences a few times. The list is endless and I have had enough.

"The older people won't even come out."

Wilf Harrhy, 73, added: "It is intimidating and everybody wants something done about it. The police come and shift them on but this has been going on for years.

"People have had their cars scratched and vandalised. The subway is lit it up like a runway. It has to be closed."

Newport East MP Jess Morden described the situation as unacceptable and said she would speaking with police and councillors.

Council hope to replace subway
A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said the Ringland neighbourhood policing team were tackling the problem positively, adding: "We are carrying out high visibility patrols and are taking details of any youths seen acting anti-socially."

She said alcohol was confiscated from youths during a weekend operation, which will be repeated regularly.

A Newport Council spokesman said the they were aware of the problem and hoped to replace the subway with a pedestrian crossing as part of the Llanwern development.

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