00:00I'm here in Barnes Park in Sunderland where over the last month there has been a
00:04reported spate and anti-social behaviour. This has included setting fires, riding
00:10electric bikes and most shocking of all the killing and skinning of animals. I
00:14come to speak to local people to see what they make of these reports, what
00:18they have witnessed and to see what more they think needs to be done. Okay then
00:24David, I'll start by asking if you've seen any social behaviour in the park or any evidence of it?
00:28I've seen evidence, I've seen the aftermaths of fires and lots of litter and
00:34alcoholic cans and you know cans of beer and broken spirits bottles and stuff like that.
00:40I mean I'm sure you've seen the reports about use of bikes, fires as you mentioned
00:44but also about animals being killed and skinned. I mean what do you make of these
00:48reports? Well it's absolutely disgusting. I do have some sympathy for young
00:53children, young people nowadays because there's not as much for them to do as
00:57I was in my day and you know I think that a lot of it's boredom and you know
01:02people egg each other on but what they did to you know what they've done to
01:05those rabbits is absolutely despicable. And what more do you think needs to be done?
01:09Well I think that there's a, you need to, people need to look at the root cause of it and not just what's happened but why it's happened. And you know I think that there's a, people are, young people nowadays get these images of influencers and people like that and everything's dead easy and it's not. Do they have any future? I'm not so sure. So I think that what they've done as I say is despicable but I think that we need to look at the causes of it.
01:16Not what's happened. I mean the council have also said they're going to come down the parents as well. Do you think that's a route which we should go down?
01:21I think that's very problematic.
01:28Erm, I think that the parents do have responsibility but whether or not they should be punished, it just depends on the circumstances in each case I think.
01:36People are a better place.
01:37So I think people like that and everything, people like that, and everything's dead easy and it's not.
01:41Do they have any future? I'm not so sure. So I think that what they've done, as I say is despicable but I think that we need to look at the causes of it, not what's happened.
01:48I think that the parents do have responsibility, but whether or not they should be punished, it just depends on the circumstances in each case, I think. I don't think it's a blanked answer.
02:02Okay, then, Dorothy, if someone uses the park, have you witnessed any evidence of antisocial behaviour?
02:08Okay. What do you make of some of the things which you've heard about going on, though, which obviously we've covered in the paper about fires, kids on scooters, that sort of thing.
02:16Also, the killing of animals, what do you make of that?
02:19I think it's quite sad, really. It's just something you wouldn't expect.
02:26I know kids are bored, and I think that's the sad thing. There's nothing for them, really.
02:34But this is a park for everybody to enjoy, dog walkers, kids, families. It spoils it, something like this.
02:44Yes. And so do you think more could be done in terms of wardens, police presence, CCTV?
02:49Wardens, definitely. Definitely. I think that would be a huge deterrent, I do believe.
02:56I don't think police presence would actually work. I think wardens more, in my opinion.
03:05I mean, one of the things the council have said is that, you know, the parents of some of these kids, you know, could be putting their tenancy agreements at risk if they found, you know, to have their kids coming down and causing this antisocial behaviour. What do you make of that?
03:16That's not really the route I would go, personally. I think if the kids are spoken to and dealt with, that should work with. Detert other kids from doing what they've been doing.
03:32Okay then, Denise, have you, anyone you know, seen evidence of this antisocial behaviour which has been reported?
03:36Yes, yes. My daughter's seen it.
03:40What sort of things has she witnessed?
03:41I mean, she witnessed the throwing of stones at the buses and across to people's homes and damage to cars.
03:50And what do you make about these reports about people, you know, killing their skin and the animals?
03:54I think that has been reported and, you know, I think it's been brought up with neighbourhood watching things.
04:02I don't know how much further reports have been highlighted in the press or anywhere like that, but I mean, it's definitely been reported to the community.
04:11And what more do you think can be done to try and stop people from carrying out this antisocial behaviour?
04:16I mean, I think it's sometimes very difficult to find the perpetrator of these things.
04:20I mean, groups of boys or whoever, if they're in the park, I mean, you need someone to be able to patrol that or, you know, a park warden or a police officer.
04:29I don't know who's the person that is going to take responsibility for it, but someone needs to.
04:33And I think their families need to take responsibility if they're underage kids.
