Derby Docks riots

On Wednesday 29th June 2005 at about 6:15 some 30 youths appeared on the Derby Docks with a red Ford Fiesta which was hot wired so it was obviously stolen. For the next hour people on the Docks were terrified by these kids some as young as ten driving the car all over the Docks.
I witnessed an old man of 72 years run for his life as the car charged down the walk way at high speed driven by young kids. He was afraid they were going to kill him as they were driving down the path trying to smash anything they could find. They smashed a seat which was concreted and bolted to the ground and it was hurled down the path, it must have taken a lot of force to smash it from its bolts.

I saw one lad who appeared to be about 10 in the car and the other kids came from all over to join in the fun. At one stage we saw smoke from the trees and thought it was on fire but it turned out it was stuck and they were revving the car and it was the tyres burning People were afraid to walk across the docks as the children had no control over the car and they smashed into trees, bushes and anything else that stood in the way. The whole of the Docks came out to see what was going on and stood there amazed as more and more kids arrived to join in the fun.

I saw lots of people running from the field before they were run down. The Police were called from 5:15 and over 20 people said they had called 999, I myself called 999 twice but even though the riot went on for an 3 hours with peoples lives at risk there was no sign of the Police attending the control room said they were to busy to attend.

I heard a lot of people saying the only way to get things done is to get vigilantes to do the job as
the Police had abandoned the West End and left it in the hands of 10-16 yobs. Just 2 weeks ago a man was being threatened by 6 12 year girls who demanded money from him every night. They told him if he didn’t give them the money they would smash his house up. He didn’t give them some money on this night and his house was smashed up by these girls. Two of us called the Police but again they never attended and this man was left to fend for himself.

What amazed the people of the area was that while all this was going on there was a Police car in
Goulden St and Underwood Lane (20 yards away) parked but they never attended. It turned out later that the whole area was surrounded by Police sitting in cars waiting to execute a raid in Oxford St.
While its important to get raids done right you would think that as lives were at risk the Police could have popped around the corner and stopped the damage and riots without jeopardising the raid, just one car would have prevented all the damage as the kids would have run off.

We don’t believe any kids have been caught for the offence and the car ended up in the middle of a
patch of trees as can be seen in the photos, How they managed to get it in there is a mystery. Residents wont be sleeping tonight as at 9:30 the car was still there and residents expect the car to be set alight.

I would like to ask the Chief Constable how he justifies letting this happen when Police were 2 mins
away. If someone was killed the Police would have blood on there hands. As per usual the Wardens were no were to be seen.

Things will only get worse in the area until the council and Police take some action. We have had this
problem for years and the 2 main causes are rubbish everywhere which gives the kids something to set on fire. The second and main problem is the teenage kids have nothing to do and its up to the council to provide things for them to do to stop these riots. I have teenage children and they have to pay to go to Oakley to play football or travel to Hanley to skateboard.

Complaints about CCTV

We have received lots of complaints about illegal CCTV on the Derby Docks. Two old men are using CCTV cameras to take pictures on the Derby Docks. I had 10 children knocking on my door from age 3 year to 13 years saying the dirty old men are taking pictures of them. While there may be some reasonable explanation why anyone would take movies of young 3 year olds when they are not related they are asking for trouble. On closer inspection the camera at one address is not pointing to protect his property but pointing directly at the children's play area. Why is the question

Click on the picture to zoom in the circle shows the small camera

To operate CCTV you must be registered and comply with the law these 2 individuals are not and it is worrying what these pictures are used for. We have contacted the Police and M/C Housing as one of the men was warned in 2001 about taking pictures of children and made an agreement with M/C housing not to do it.

The Police have not responded to our complaint so we don't know if they took any action on the man photographing kids. I reported it to the local forum as it effects anyone who walks across the Derby Dock but Darren Willetts comments were

In relation to your other comments and questions, I am not in a position to
advise residents on legal matters of this kind. I would suggest that you
contact the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Kind Regards

Darren Willetts

What are the Forums there for remind me?

Update September 2003

It appears the Law is crazy any company using camera must register, display signs and comply with lots of regulations but private individuals don't have to. After many complaints local women have got a petition up to have the camera removed as they don't feel safe with this man filming. One women said she was shocked that as she walked around the area the camera was flashing showing that she was being filmed and she found this frightening. We have sent the petition to M/C housing and we are waiting for some action. Previous complaints to them fell on deaf ears even though it was clear the camera was pointing at the child's play area. I have been told by a local man that the man with the camera has admitted to him that it is pointing at the children's play area why we don't know.

Update October 2003

We have sent a copy of the petition to the council M/C housing and the Police.

Reply From Dee Darwin Safer Comunities

Dear Mr Wright

Re John Dawson 42 Oxford St Crewe

I have discussed you email with Inspector Paul Jennings at Crewe Police
station. He has informed me that the individual you name has been visited
by the Police and that the video footage reviewed. The Police found no
cause for concern. At the same time, the Police would encourage anyone with
information about any issue that may be of interest to the Police to report
this immediately on 500222.

Yours sincerely

Dee Darwin

M/C Housing seem to be ignoring all emails at this stage, the said they would be in touch but that was weeks ago. Strange when they have all the information on this man. They have been involved when he has in the past filmed children and when he has attacked children.

One of the problems is that the children he has attacked wont go to the Police or in some cases the Police wont take any action on the statement of a child. I know one child who had his new £80 skateboard stolen by this man and then smashed and that takes some doing. In this case there were 4 children who say this happen but the Police wouldn't take any action.

To Contact M/C Housing and demand action Mail

Update 5 Nov

The MP has been contacted as Manchester Housing are not replying to anyone. It has been well over a month since the petition was sent in and they said they would look at it but that's its they wont answer anyone, lets see if they ignore the MP. This is a company who claim on their web site to be a caring company but they wont listen to 77 tenants and local people. See the petition here. The camera still remains and local people are asking if the Police have investigated as they claim why didnt they interview any of the children from the original complaint?

Update 17 Dec 2003

Gone, yes he suddenly disappeared a M/C housing van moved him out and left a empty flat. He didn't say goodbye to anyone just vanished. We can only guess what has happened but people can now feel their kids are safe once again. The only question is why it took 5 months and why M/C housing never reply to people?

Get your Drugs Here

We have reports coming in of a white transit van doing the rounds in Derby Docks it is basically a mobile drugs supermarket which travels the area selling drugs to kids. We have been told they will supply any type of drug or booze. Many months ago we saw a similar van turn up and the kids rush over to it like a ice cream van, we reported this to the Police and offered to report further sightings but we never had a reply. If you see a van like this report anything you see to the Police or if you want tell me and I will pass it on.

Derby Dock Seats & Fences

Update

12 Months later and nothing has changed the fences have been removed but the seat remain as the Council Ignored the wishes of the people. The broken glass and rubbish is still the same as the kids are still hanging around with nothing to do

After nearly 3 months since the petition to remove the seats still nothing has been done.

Here is are some pictures taken on 13/10/02 of one of the seats. Its clear that it is impossible for anyone to walk down this path as its just covered in glass. While the council argue over this people have to live in these condition. Its represents one nights booze up by Youths.

We have put in a petition to the council to remove the fences and the seats from the Derby Docks. While the seats are great in the day for the old people to sit on at night they turn into a nightmare for local residents.

One of the seats on the Docks showing the recked fence by the seats

In the picture you can see one of the seats on the Docks and the fence around the trees which has been destroyed by youths who hang about on the seats at night.

These seats are causing so many problems locally that people want them removing. Most nights up to 30 youths can be seen hanging around the seats causing damage, shouting, getting drunks, causing litter and frightening people. We believe that removing these seats will help with the problems. We have had one removed in the past and the area were it was removed from has improved tremendously. We recognize that many people enjoy using the seats in the day but they cause so much trouble for residents at night that there is no other short term answer to this problem other than there relocation or removal.

The real problem is not the seats but lack of facilities for the children who are causing the problem. Until the council addresses the other problems the only solution that may help local people is the removal of the seats. Some residents are selling their houses as they think things are that bad in the area.

The kids are not just a problem around the Derby Docks the same problems are reported in Samuel St, Broom St and lots of other areas. The council needs to address the root cause of these problems so a lasting solution can be found as these kids are Crewe’s tomorrows.

The present policy to deal with the problem seems to be to get the Police to move the kids on after countless calls. All this does is move them to some other area. The cost of Police time must be a fortune.

We need to get people on the street asking these children what they want and then quickly provide them with the means to become productive and better citizens. Skate boarders are one group who have been waiting for a long time for facilities and nothing has been done for them.

Cut the red tape grab some wood from the council yard a couple of woodworkers and get the kids who skateboard around Asda and the retails park. Get them to build their own skate park with the old wood, forget the 18 months trying to get £80,000 for skate parks that kids have no input into. Most Skate board competitions have the ramps and courses built from wood in a day. The cost is very low and everyone is happy, if it gets wrecked the kids will rebuild it and learn joinery skills while they do it. My way the kids get input into the project learn how to build ramps and work as a team. There has been a tremendous need for skate boarding facilities for a long time and all the council have done is talk.

The petition will now be heard by the council board this month but the new twist is that people who signed the petition have been harassed by a local man after someone gave him all the names that signed the petition. These include a 70 year old man, a disabled lady and a women who's husband is dieing in hospital. The board have not made a decision on this matter but say they need to first talk to other resident groups in the area. As there is only one other group which has only Three members one fails to see the reasoning behind this democracy says if the vote is 150 for and 3 against then the 150 win.