Children causing havoc should be electronically tagged, says mayor

Independent Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston has called for tough action for youngsters who are involved in crime. He is keen to see an example made of some children and families in Hemlington to curb anti-social behaviour.

The mayor was speaking to councillors at the overview and scrutiny board meeting on Wednesday (September 21). He also urged residents to report crime when they see it so that hotspots can be identified.

Speaking about the issues in Hemlington, Mr Preston said: “The biggest single issue is out of control kids. We say kids – some of them are under ten and some are 16.” He believes the youngsters are doing it for the adrenaline hit, which he says is causing children to do more dangerous, more intimidating and criminal things.

He went on to add: “I am encouraged by Cleveland Police, I think there is a new approach and a new outlook. I believe they are more community focussed and the senior officers I talk to understand and want to see people rounded up and arrested.

“The challenge is getting the evidence, getting people to report it, getting the CPS to accept it, and getting the courts to apply appropriate sentences. The role we can play in all of that is getting people to report it.”

Hemlington has been high up on the police’s agenda for months now after a spate of crime and anti-social behaviour. This has included a woman being allegedly grabbed by the neck, an alleged petrol bombing of a car and a pensioner being hit over the head with a brick.

The area even made it onto a BBC Panorama programme about anti-social behaviour. In June, Cleveland Police claimed there had been a reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour since the launch of Operation Fortress in the area.

Mr Preston said: “I think we all need to be pushing the government to change the laws to have ways of controlling and reducing bad behaviour in young people. Personally, I think we need to have significant numbers of kids in Middlesbrough tagged so when bad stuff happens, which we know they do but we can’t prove it, then we can say they were there.

“Whether it’s the tag or something else, I just don’t care. I want to see an example made of some kids and some families. It’s not because I love punishing people, it’s because it deters some of the others.”

The mayor said it was deeply upsetting to meet people whose disabled children had been threatened or property set fire to.

Labour Group leader Coun Matt Storey asked whether the tagging initiative was something the mayor had taken any action on. Mr Preston said that at this point in time it was just an idea.

Coun Brian Hubbard, a member of the Middlesbrough Independent Councillors Association, said there were not many bad children in Middlesbrough but there were pockets in each ward that could cause a vast amount of havoc.

The council is looking to join forces with other groups to turn the former GP surgery at the Viewley Centre into a new locality hub. On the ground floor there will be a community shop and the first floor will be used as a base for services, including the council, police, fire service and housing provider Thirteen.

There are also plans to turn the former hardware store into a community living room, which will provide a safe place for youngsters to go with the aim of reducing anti-social behaviour and violence.