DELIBERATE HARASSMENT OF A RESIDENT

Is it normal behaviour? Just a few kids screaming obscenities in a public space for over an hour at the top of their lungs for a few afternoons a week to deliberately harass and attempt to intimidate the residents living directly opposite this public space - a basketball court in a very small reserve that is too close to a residential home. It is the only home and the only residents that get the full blast of this anti-social behaviour.

Today the noise escalated with multiple basketballs being slammed continuously against the court accompanied by a loud radio and the continual screaming of obscenities - ironically words that cannot be printed as they are socially unacceptable and considered offensive. In fact, my email listing a series of events and the language used, ironically was returned by council and blocked because it contained these very words. I had to block them out. However, its considered "okay" for us to be subjected to this. The council does not patrol or maintain its Park Laws 9 which prohibits this type of behaviour in a council reserve. They say that it is a police matter. The police do not consider this a criminal offence and consider it a council matter. So who is responsible for stopping a public disturbance of this nature in a council and public space?

After seventeen months of this behaviour the police took action when the trolley bashing started in the park and went on for a three week period where we were subjected to the demolition derby accompanied once again by foul language, screaming and shouting with youths out of control smashing sections of trolley - one youth bashing a section of trolley into the basketball court and screaming out "FUCK" continuously as he smashed it into the cement. They also took to chanting out their swear words and climbing and swinging on a section of smashed trolley that they had hung from the basketball ring and also swinging on the piece of trolley that had been used as a ball and was caught in the basketball hoop.

There were a series of incidents - including the stealing or 'removal" of signs restricting times on the court at least 3 if not 4 times and after continual complaints the signs were painted on the court. The reason that the sign was not replaced in the end was " the youths will only steal it again". There was further bureaucratic bungling with the hours of the court listed as 6am - 6pm giving youths unfettered hours to create noise and a public nuisance. Even workmen cannot start noise until 7.30 am. The youths even dug themselves a bicycle trail with holes and humps which cost council more money to repair.

Requests for CTV footage have been denied. Apparently there is no money for CTV footage on this reserve even though there have been numerous complaints by us.

The parting shot screamed at the top of their lungs as they walked past our house was:

"Hi Hayden They've shut their front door"

Boy replied: Why?

"Its because they're old and sensitive to noise"

The latter screamed very slowly and very loudly and VERY DELIBERATELY.

This is blatant targeting of a resident and aged residents. I assume that these hoons will apply for jobs in a nursing home as they then can bash up and abuse the elderly at will because there are no CTV cameras in nursing home rooms either.

THIS IS DELIBERATE HARASSMENT.

It is now 3.02 am and I am unable to sleep because this situation is totally out of hand.

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL INVOLVED IN THIS DEBACLE.

YOU HAVE ALL THE RIGHTS AND WE HAVE NONE.

The court flooded at high tide with the dangerous tree in the background which we reported to council and it was eventually removed. There are two further trees evident here that are dangerous and not within guidelines of distance from a basketball court. We have reported these as well.