Gang attacks force family to flee Bristol home
A Bristol family have been forced out of their new council home by a gang of thugs – because they had come from the "wrong" neighbourhood.
Sabrina Evans, 23, her partner Paul Derrick, 36, and their four young children are quitting their home in Southmead after being burgled, attacked with bricks and petrol bombed in the space of a week.
They say they appear to have been targeted simply because they moved into the area from Lawrence Weston. They had only lived in the three-bedroom property in Trowbridge Road for a month when it was burgled and their 42in television and Nintendo Wii games console were stolen.
A day later, the family were threatened by a gang of yobs who threw rocks towards the house, hitting Mr Derrick in the stomach and shattering the rear windscreen of their car.
The couple decided enough was enough and moved out for their own safety after members of the same gang then threatened to burn their house down – a threat they appear to have unsuccessfully tried to carry out.
The family are now living with Miss Evans' mother in Lockleaze and have asked the city council to rehouse them.
When Mr Derrick returned to his home in Southmead to collect some of his children's clothes yesterday - Wednesday - he noticed the remains of what is thought to be a petrol bomb outside the front room window.
He said he discovered black scorch marks beneath the window and pieces of a smashed blackened glass on the ground.
Miss Evans said: "These three kids came round saying we were 'dirty L dubbers' because we came from Lawrence Weston and that if we didn't get out they would burn the house down with the kids in there.
"They came back the next day and chucked a brick. It was heading towards my two-year-old son Phoenix, who was stood outside the house, but my partner Paul jumped in the way and he was hit.
"Then they were chucking bits of brick at the back of our car. Apparently these kids are well-known for this sort of thing and they are always smashing windows and threatening people.
"These kids are about 20 years old and they go around on bikes wearing white tracksuits. Neighbours say people are scared of them and are frightened to speak up.
"Trowbridge Road is meant to be a very bad street. Living there was giving me heart palpitations."
The family moved to Southmead on December 8 after living in a cramped two-bedroom flat in Lawrence Weston.
Miss Evans, mum to Archie, five, Phoenix, two, Wyatt, one, and Lola, five months, said: "We went to the police and they said it was unsafe for us to go back but the council said they had nowhere for us at the moment.
"The kids are sleeping on the floor at my mum's house on a blow-up bed."
Michelle Williams, one of Miss Evans' neighbours, said she witnessed the gang making threats and throwing rocks.
The mother-of-two, aged 43, said: "I saw the brick going through his car window and noticed that my neighbour's hand was covered in blood. The kids had baseball bats with them. They were saying they would burn the house down.
"I don't know of problems with people from Lawrence Weston but at one time there were organised scraps between people from Southmead, Lawrence Weston and other areas."
Ms Williams said she had also had trouble after moving in. She said: "The second night after moving in here, a pile of rubbish was set alight outside my front gates.
"They don't like it when people move in. My front window was also smashed in on New Year's Eve.
"Before moving out, the family living next door were harassed and the police were involved. If you do anything about it you end up in more trouble and get called a grass."
Another neighbour Ernie Oakley, 62, said an exclusion zone had been set up in the road to stop yobs congregating and CCTV was installed five months ago.
He said: "It sounds like the family are being targeted for some reason. It's the first time I've heard that sort of thing happen to people moving in but there's rivalry between different areas all over the country. I thought things had been quieter here recently."
Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, said her front door was kicked in shortly after she moved to the area last Christmas.
A spokesman for Avon & Somerset police said investigations were ongoing following the incidents on January 5, 6 and 7.
City council spokeswoman Lynda Wookey said they were "sympathetic" to the family's circumstances and added: "The council's working with the police to find the best possible outcome."
62 Comments
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by matt emulsion, oldland common
Monday, January 19 2009, 2:02PM
“everyone knows southmead has a history of assaults and drug use going back years, everyone that is appart from the faceless wonders who have decided to build a new hospital there in preference of the peace and quiet of frenchay”
by Anselem Cudden, Dublin
Friday, January 16 2009, 11:13AM
“This is a response to jJohn from London who commented yesterday Jan 15th. I lived in Southmead around the same time as you, left around the same time as you. Email me if you're interested in checkin this out - anselem.cudden@gmail.com.”
by Rob, Bedminster
Thursday, January 15 2009, 9:54PM
“Grahame P, fantastic summary. Nothing more to add.”
by Mark, Bristol
Thursday, January 15 2009, 7:14PM
“Families aren't always living in areas like that because they are lazy or unintelligent. The high prices of houses fuelled by greedy speculators who due to the credit crunch may find themselves in the same neighbourhoods are equally at fault. Not everyone can help their circumstances nor does it excuse the disgraceful way these thugs have acted. What are the police doing about it.”
by KD, Bristol
Thursday, January 15 2009, 6:47PM
“I see no reason why anyone who can't afford to live in an area that isn't riddled with crime would choose to have so many children.
They'll probably never get out of the council house hell life now.”
by K.D., Bristol
Thursday, January 15 2009, 6:42PM
“They're victims, obviously, and nobody deserves what happened to them, but who honestly thought you could live in crappy areas without problems?...nobody.
Find what you're skilled at, learn how to perform and do something with your life...
...Then you won't have to live where the council put you.”
by Richard, Bristol
Thursday, January 15 2009, 6:26PM
“John of London, well done! You are an example of what social housing and social welfare stand for and by sharing these comments it gives people in bread line communities hope.
Personally I think people should put back in to their communities even if this is to be proud.
A person living in Southmead today could be a world leader in tomorrow's world.
People who look down on others need to take a long hard look in the mirror.”
by dodo, bristol
Thursday, January 15 2009, 5:37PM
“lol southmead is north bristol isnt it steve ?”
by John, London
Thursday, January 15 2009, 5:35PM
“I lived in Southmead, one road over from Trowbridge for 10 years. 1981 1991.
When you talk about poverty you have two camps, one who hates the poor, because of their perceived life of luxury. The other who chooses to defend them as potential decent citizens.
I move between the two positions often.
As a teenager I often beat the living hell out of others who tried to steal my bike, insulted my family or behaved like idiots around me. I was lucky enough to be able to live a decent life because I had three brothers and the ability to hit hard but not excessively hard.
I knew boys who had good parents, others who had bad parents, they/re all junkies either way.
I dont know why I was lucky, but I know this, if I didnt have a council house, I wouldnt be a law abiding tax payer now, neither would my brothers.
I would never live in Southmead again, I would rather live in a field, I am a teacher now, I and four of my cohorts in The Mead left in 1991 for university, I think one is a practicing solicitor in London now.
Two of my old friends I met after coming back to Bristol, they looked sick with jaundice and drug abuse, it was sad.
There go I but for the grace of God.”
by Grahame P, Central Bristol
Thursday, January 15 2009, 4:33PM
“I don't think you can teach responsibility to the feckless, the violent and the downright irresponsible in our society. It's too late. There's no sanction the underclass need fear because we've insulated them from any real consequence for their actions. They don't need to adjust their behaviour to fit into society. People don't need to work when they can live on the social, milk it, and steal what they're not given by the state.
Once, the police would've thoroughly investigated this sort of thing, but now even attempted arson is so commonplace it's virtually impossible to keep a lid on the sort of violent anti-social behaviour that rips some neighbourhoods apart.
Labour is so fixated by the idea of helping people out of poverty, they don't understand that people have a responsibility to help themselves first, and society should only step in when those most vulnerable aren't capable of doing this. Our political culture traps people into dependency, undermines the family, and removes anything resembling a real punishment for anything other than the most serious of repeat offending.
So why are we surprised when 20 year old youths on bikes terrorise a neighbourhood and drive a family from their home? Why are we shocked when the police can't even catch them, let alone punish them?
It mightn't be the society we wanted but it's certainly the one we've had created for us. Those kids on bikes will still be there next year, but there'll probably be a few more of them because what constitutes a social safety net for some is used as a trampoline by others. And while they laugh with pleasure at the game, we'll employ armies of social workers and policy drafters to insulate them further if they fall off while bouncing at the bottom. Then we'll metaphorically beat ourselves up with guilt when we fail to fully protect them and those around them from the consequences of their actions. After all ¿ it's not their fault. Is it?
No. Actually it really is ours. After all ¿ we can't be seen to be lacking in sympathy and empathy for those less fortunate. That wouldn't be fair!”