Newry is experiencing a “marked increase” in anti-social behaviour, the chairperson of a group tackling the issue has said.
Sinn Féin Councillor Aidan Mathers was speaking to Armagh I following a perceived jump in crime in the area, with a number of reports of incidents taking place in recent weeks.
Councillor Mathers is the Chairperson of the Anti-social Behaviour Group on Newry, Mourne & Down Policing & Community Safety Partnership (PCSP).
On Tuesday, September 3, police did not attend a meeting of the group, stating that ongoing anti-social behaviour matters took precedent over the meeting.
The meeting was to discuss growing concerns about incidents in the district, and in particular the circumstances surrounding the recent death of Anu Okusyana in Newry City.
In August, 46-year-old care worker Anu Okusanya, died in hospital after suffering multiple cardiac arrests.
It happened after she ran from a gang of young people who had attacked her on two other occasions in the same area.
There has since been a long timeline of anti-social and violent incidents that have caused concern in the community.
“There’s been a marked increase in anti-social behaviour you see around the district, especially in Newry. And it’s a very small minority of young people involved in it,” councillor Mathers explained.
“There’s incidents in a local hotel where they’re running havoc through the corridors, giving staff abuse and putting up at people.
“Often then there’s the same or other small gangs in the shopping centres just generally causing mayhem.”
While councillor Mathers says he was “really alarmed” by these incidents, he adds the behaviour has progressed further, specifying scramblers as a key area of concern.
“There’s a massive problem here with young fellas on scramblers,” he said.
“I witnessed, coming out of a community meeting one evening, a guy who looked 16 on a scrambler and he had what looked like a four-year-old on the front of the scrambler. And not one of the two of them had a helmet on.”
“Police can’t chase them for fear of them coming off the bike… It’s dangerous more than anything.”
Councillor Mathers continued: “I’ve seen it worse, but I’d be concerned it has stepped up that level.
“I’m personally weary coming into the dark nights of what lies ahead, unless we can get a resolution… The last thing I want to see is young lads and girls ending up with criminal records.”
The recent increase in anti-social behaviour comes alongside further reports of violent incidents such as thefts and assaults in recent weeks.
Read more: Violent incidents on rise – just what exactly is happening in Newry?
When Armagh I put the recent timeline of events to police, they said they are “committed to protecting the public from all types of criminal activity.”
Chief Inspector Joe Tierney said: “Where crime does occur, it is our job to investigate it thoroughly, and to do everything we can to get the offenders before the courts.
“To this end we have a number of officers currently involved in investigating recent violent incidents in the Newry area.
“Enquiries are ongoing into these incidents, a number of which we believe are linked as we have stated previously.
“I fully understand the concerns of the local community and I would like to provide some reassurance that we have increased patrols throughout the city and are working tirelessly to find those responsible and to hold them to account.”
Chief Inspector Tierney continued: “I would like to ask anyone with information which could assist us with our investigations, to call police at Ardmore on the non-emergency number 101, or submit a report online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/
