Yobs, authority and innocent victims

Some are fit for publication, others not. Politics, disagreements over this or that, discussions about aspects of Worcester history. All are grist to the daily paper mill.

Interestingly, a minority of these letters is highly defamatory. These unwitting amateur scribblers are rescued from a court appearance by the sharp eye of a journalist.

Sometimes they deserve saving from themselves. Occasionally, mercy's shown to the undeserving. If only they knew.

So, as you can see, all human life is there. But the most depressing items are those letters that arrive unsigned or in which the writer demands anonymity. My choice of verb here is deliberate - for, with some letters, it's actually possible to feel the fear and anger rising from the page.

Two such missives arrived recently. One was headed "address withheld to avoid intimidation by these hooligans" the other with a footnote reading: "I ask you please not to divulge my address for obvious reasons."

I'll deal with the second one first.

This referred to the growing social problems being encountered by residents in Warndon Villages. It was an all-too-familiar story - but it's worth recording this catalogue of woe, particularly as the unhappy correspondent felt she'd been given little support by anyone in authority.

This woman had been forced to endure airguns being fired at her windows and "something" thrown at her door. She knew of residents whose animals had been shot, of stones being thrown at cars, and graffiti daubed on their walls. The list went on, as you can imagine.

Anyone with the courage to challenge these youths would invariably be met with a barrage of foul language.

The writer had contacted MP Michael Foster and he acknowledged her letter. There had also been correspondence with her county councillor. But, she insisted, nothing had been done to stop the catalogue of yobbery.

The woman claimed she'd rung the police and had been told the incidents were low priority. There was now a beat policeman in the area who was excellent, she added, but wondered how he could tackle the problem on his own.

She'd written after reading a story about anti-social behaviour problems headlined "Are your children to blame?" in which PC John McManus, the Villages beat manager, had addressed a parish council meeting.

Referring to incidents of stone-throwing, he said that some parents refused to believe their offspring could behave in such a way.

Sadly, the figures speak for themselves. The number of reported breaches of the peace jumped from 10 in January to 20 in February, while reports of criminal damage also leapt from six incidents to 19 over the same period.

Now to the other letter. This one was concerned with the escalating problem with drunken students at University College Worcester. The Evening News has printed numerous stories about this, yet the issue's only now being dealt with.

Think how long it's taken for that to happen and you'll realise why so many people are angry and disillusioned.

When the first reports detailing the miseries of St John's residents broke in December, the Establishment did what it always does when faced with scrutiny - it closed ranks and went into denial mode.

Academics and other assorted important people then got their gowns into a twist over a Phillpott File which warned that the "headlines wouldn't go away".

They certainly didn't. Already this year, the Evening News has carried several stories about the continuing hell that is the reality for many people in St John's, who have the misfortune to live near the ever-expanding, lumbering juggernaut that is UCW.

Meanwhile, the bigwigs talked haughtily about the Faithful City becoming a university town. If you live on the outskirts, a safe distance away, I suppose it must appear an appealing prospect. Unfortunately, if you're an ordinary working family stuck in the wrong St John's road, the idea won't be quite so attractive.

The author of the letter told of fences being kicked down, cans and bottles thrown and discarded over fences as well as in the road. Plant-holders had been kicked over and plants destroyed, hanging baskets unhooked and smashed. Cars had also been damaged.

Responding to this, city councillor Richard Bird suggested a "town and gown committee" and a students' "bad behaviour deposit" (Evening News, Thursday, March 6). Amazing!

Now, Councillor, take out your exercise book. Construct a well-known phrase or saying out of these words - chocolate, about as much use as, fireguard, it's.

Meanwhile, his political boss, Mike Foster, is reported as saying he would take the issue up with the police. He also warned that it would be unfair to penalise students for vandalism incidents without proof.

All right, Mike, here's a clue. I'll quote our anonymous letter writer. See if you can identify. This is what the mystery correspondent wrote.

"When UCW is on holiday, there's no problem. It simply does not happen. It is not a gang from any of our estates, they are young students in packs like animals. But animals would have more respect for their fellow beings. Please do something about it."

Now action has been taken. A raft of solutions has been launched, including a hotline and a letter giving students some obvious advice on how to be a good neighbour, the kind of lessons they should all have learned at their mothers' knees.

The same applies to the burgeoning crisis in the Villages. Like the trouble across the river, there's only one answer to all this - the police must start making arrests. These louts must be picked up, put in the back of the wagon, and carted off down the nick. And charged.

Then their parents can be sent for and the position explained to them in no uncertain manner. And, when they're dealt with by the court, let's see a punishment that fits the crime.

There must be many who'd like to see work gangs of unpaid labour putting right the damage that they caused in the first place. Let's see some real community orders, ones that actually mean something.

Draconian? Yes. But compare such retribution with the misery of so many people in Warndon and St John's. Nightly, their homes - their sanctuaries from the outside world, their havens of rest and repair - are violated by the hideous presence of cowards who can only find bravery in numbers.

Here's another thought, too. The light nights are on the way now. Many of you on the fringes of Worcester will know what that can entail, with longer hours of daylight offering even further scope for mischief.

So let's see some tough policing this spring and summer. At least the long-suffering people of Worcester have now received some meaningful responses from the university authorities.

Instead of purple-faced individuals complaining about the Phillpott File, let's have some anger redirected to where it's deserved. Sweeping this matter under the carpet is no longer an option.

The time for complacency has passed. If it carries on, something must be done. And quickly.