Booze-fuelled yobs cause havoc in area

Jul 17 2008 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

RESIDENTS living near a Larkhall football pitch in the Raploch area of the town are living in fear over the antics of boozed-up yobs who congregate there at weekends.

It followed an incident during the early hours of Saturday morning in which a stolen car was torched in an adjoining street.

According to people living near the football field, yobs have been gathering there for years but little is being done about the problem.

“It happens Friday night into Saturday morning and Saturday night into Sunday morning, usually. Youths are drinking, shouting and bawling,” said a resident.

“There are a lot of elderly people living nearby and they are terrified.

“I think things have gotten worse lately because the schools are on holiday.

“Things are bad enough when it’s yobbish behaviour, but the latest incident with the car being set on fire has taken things to another level.

“Police were called on Friday evening about the yobs, but there was no response as far as we could see.

“They attended the scene on learning of the car fire, however.”

Larkhall United Boys’ Club recently took over the responsibility for the management of the pitch from South Lanarkshire Council.

The football pitch has had a fence put round it to keep unwanted visitors out.

However, the resident said gaps in the fence have made it easy for yobs to gain access.

He added: “It’s a real shame. Someone has to go down during the season to clear the pitch of glass before games are played on a Saturday and Sunday morning.”

Larkhall United Boys’ Club football administrator Charlie Batchelor this week expressed dismay that the club’s premises were a magnet for yobs.

He added: “We know there are problems.

“We’ve had paint sprayed on the pavilion and broken glass in the car park which spreads on to the pitch.”

Community safety officer, Inspector Russell Lockhart, said officers went to Burnbrae Street on July 12 after receiving reports of a car on fire just after 2.30pm.

He added: “The fire was subsequently extinguished by the fire service. The vehicle was reported stolen and inquiries are on-going.”

Inspector Lockhart also pointed out that the force were aware of the problem at the football pitch.

And, Inspector Lockhart concluded, following a meeting between officers, councillor Andy Carmichael and community council members, an action plan is to be formulated to address the issue.