VULNERABLE pensioner
continues to be the victim of a sustained campaign
of bullying and vandalism by some youths in the
Cockhill area, according to the local branch of the
St Vincent de Paul.
In just over a year, the elderly man has had windows
smashed no fewer than seven times while his home is
regularly pelted with eggs.
The problem has become so severe, Gardai have
assigned a special liaison officer to assist him
while Garda chiefs say Cockhill will shortly come
under the focus of a special community policing
campaign.
Less than a year after the late community activist
Charlie O'Donnell spoke out in support of the
elderly and vulnerable of the area, the St. Vincent
de Paul has once again been forced to highlight
their plight.
They say furniture inside a vacant house in the
Clonbeg area was set alight in recent weeks while
local firefighters had to launch a full-scale
emergency to put out the blaze.
SVP member Liam Magee yesterday said the vandalism
had to stop. He said the cost of replacing the seven
double-glazed windows in their housing scheme in the
past year ran to more than €1,000. But this paled in
comparison with the torment endured by the elderly
man on an ongoing basis.
Meanwhile, Garda Sergeant John O'Keeffe quashed a
"vicious rumour" circulating in the area that the
house set alight in recent weeks was also the scene
of an illegal drugs find. And he said there was no
connection between this fire and the attacks on the
SVP housing in Cockhill.
He did, however, acknowledge that the Cockhill area
was suffering ongoing anti-social behaviour and he
criticised "a number" of parents whom he said were
not facing up to their responsibilities.
"There are a number of parents in the Cockhill and
Umricam areas who are in denial in relation to their
children's behaviour. They need to take
responsibility and face up to the fact that their
under-18s are out and about causing criminal damage
and tormenting people," said Sgt O'Keeffe, in one of
his last media comments ahead of his retirement on
September 23.
He said parents might not realise that if their
child comes to the attention of the Garda Juvenile
Liaison Scheme more than once, headquarters in
Dublin could recommend that charges be brought
against them despite their youth.
He also reiterated his warning to the parents of the
alleged offenders that they could also face charges
of child neglect under child protection laws.
"Parents who let their children stay out late at
night getting into trouble and dangerous situations
could face charges of neglect," he said, adding that
Cockhill would become the primary focus of community
policing involving dedicated officers who will
patrol the area targeting repeat offenders and
vandalism blackspots. |
