Mother who endured year-long reign of terror turns campaigner

Joanne Binns from Swarcliffe, is now piloting a course for parents to teach them about the what they can do to prevent their children becoming involved in anti social behaviour (ASB).

She wanted to make parents aware of the vileness of some children’s behaviour and the terror they can cause after youths targeted her and her family. She is working with Leeds Antisocial Behaviour Team to use a video they produced about how parents can influence the behaviour of their children as part of a session with a group of parents at Swarcliffe Primary school.

Ms Binns, who used to live in East End Park, was picked on as she tried to build bridges between the community and police. She and her children had stones thrown at them, parts of their garden were set alight, and she was punched in the stomach while pregnant. Her children suffered through threatening texts and being bullied in the street, to the point they no longer wanted to go outside.

It took a lot of hard work, but eventually she was moved from East End Park, and since the new Leeds Antisocial Behaviour team has been launched, there has been a marked improvement to the response to ASB through the joint working of partners such as the police and local authority. Ms Binns said: “It was an extremely tough time, and I am so pleased that I am now able to work with the Leeds Antisocial Behaviour team to help other victims, and also try to get the message across to parents about how they can help. The new ASB service has made reporting ASB a lot easier, and I now have excellent links with my community and the team to work with anyone who is suffering or involved with this kind of behaviour.

“One of my key areas of work is my charity – Forgotten Children’s Foundation which is run for all the kids out there who are doing something positive – they need to be rewarded, and this is my way of doing that.

“I wanted to broaden the work I have been doing, and talking to parents to make them realise what they can do to help their children is a really positive step forward and should help in the fight against ASB.”

Coun Peter Gruen, Leeds Council executive board member with responsibility for community safety said: “It is excellent to see Joanne doing so well now, and giving back to the local community after the ordeal she went through.”