18 reports of trouble at Willows traveller site in Sandhurst
TROUBLED traveller site The Willows in Sandhurst has attracted 18 reports of anti-social behaviour over the past three years, new figures reveal.
The incidents are mainly related to horses, with just three similar reports at the Cursey Lane traveller site and no incidents at the Culkerton or Showborough sites.
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Willows traveller site
Despite the reports, no one has been prosecuted for anti-social behaviour from the sites in that time.
The Willows was branded a no-go zone in 2010 when a stolen vehicle turned up there. Angry owner of the missing Mercedes Van, Christopher Sims, was left fuming when he was told by police they were unable to intervene as it would risk the safety of officers.
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Police have said there are no active lines of inquiry into the case but if fresh information comes to light, it will be investigated.
A police spokesman said: "There are absolutely no 'no go' areas for our officers and we take all reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously, wherever they happen. We often work with our partner agencies, such as the council, to seek resolutions but these may not be criminal sanctions."
A spokesman for the gypsy and traveller community said: "I am not aware of any particular problems on any of the sites. Although I don't have much to do with The Willows, I know a lot of people who do live there also run skip hire firms and other businesses nearby.
"Every community has good and bad areas, that is normal.
"But there seems to be less understanding with the traveller community and that is unfair."
Under pressure to slash £114 million from its budget by 2015, county council discussions over the possibility of handing over the management of the four sites to a private housing association are ongoing. A decision is likely to be made later this year.
An annual maintenance budget for all sites totals £204,000.
Comments
by Pebbles23
Thursday, September 06 2012, 6:43PM
“The problem is that in the eyes of the police, the travellers constitute a specific ethnic group and thus do anything they can to avoid potential allegations of racial harassment.
I'd like to be treated as part of an ethnic group too, just as 90% of the UK population would.”
by Qwerty05
Thursday, September 06 2012, 4:44PM
“Matt, I believe that they still in the area. From what I gather the family were ``spoken to`` by the police. Afterwards the traveller mother aggressively confronted one of the other mothers involved, in Tesco, in full view of everyone. A complaint was made, and the police said the matter had already been dealt with, and they should move on. I believe a father of one of the local kids politely confronted the traveller mother, and guess what? the police went round to him like a shot and warned him and the other parents from taking any action against said family.”
by Matt1006
Thursday, September 06 2012, 4:27PM
“Qwerty05 - is this troublesome family still in the area? If they are, why don't the families affected by what sounds like intimidation all group together, collect documented evidence, and then confront the police and demand they take action against the non-travelling traveller family? If a brick wall is met (again), then go straight to the Chief Constable, and then the local MP, and make sure action is taken. Sounds like the staff at the school should also be involved, if there are issues within the school grounds.
If a "normal" family was involved in such apparent intimidation of other residents, the police would take action, as would the landlord if they were in a social housing property.
Another example of the travellers apparently being above the law, not helped by the fact that the police pull the shutters down and cop a deaf 'un. It is well known that there are certain individual houses the police also won't go into, just like traveller camps, for their own safety. Perhaps this traveller house in Quedgeley is/was one of them?
Not acceptable, Mr. Chief Constable. "No go" zones do exist, despite what your spokesman says. How about the law applying to everyone...???”
by Qwerty05
Thursday, September 06 2012, 3:10PM
“There was an incident in Quedgeley a couple of years back. The kids of a traveller family were involved in playground spat with local kids. The traveller parents got involved and actually threatened the local kids with violence, and even followed one from school to find where they lived. The police were called, and once they found out the traveller family were involved they went out their way to try and get the local parents to forget the incident. Needless to say no action was taken, yet the traveller parents still taunted the local kids, to the point where they had to be escorted to and from school. By the way, the traveller family lived in a house in Quedgeley, not a camp or caravan site, so how come they are travellers??”
by LordGagas
Thursday, September 06 2012, 2:28PM
“they are above the law, get over it!”
by Takeaway22
Thursday, September 06 2012, 1:18PM
“Why don't the travellers do just that?.....travel!”
by Pebbles23
Thursday, September 06 2012, 12:11PM
“F1junkie, your post should strike a chord with anyone who lives in the real world. Next time I rob a bank I know where to 'hide out' because the plod would be too gutless to come and get me.
Bob, your solution is perhaps a little over the top so a better and more acceptable alternative might be to send a Para platoon in to 'investigate' crimes as the plod are too scared and incapable.”
by charlesm1
Thursday, September 06 2012, 11:31AM
“Why are the police waiting for 'fresh information to come to light' before further investigation of the stolen van? The van turned up at The Willows! It doesn't take a racket scientist to work it out does it.”
by charlesm1
Thursday, September 06 2012, 11:26AM
“Why are the police waiting for 'fresh information to come to light' about the stolen van before investigating further....the vehicle turned up at The Willows? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out does it.”
by CaptCX
Thursday, September 06 2012, 9:01AM
“From the 4th paragraph of the article: "Angry owner of the missing Mercedes Van, Christopher Sims, was left fuming when he was told by police they were unable to intervene as it would risk the safety of officers."
From the 5th paragraph of the article: "There are absolutely no 'no go' areas for our officers and we take all reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously, wherever they happen."
The 2 statement are incompatible aren't they? If the police could not intervene for fear of their safety when a crime was being, or had been committed, then that renders the relevant are a 'no go one' doesn't it?”