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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

...to be fed up with the local druggies shooting up on the public land behind my garden?

15 replies

NiniLegsInTheAir · 29/06/2012 20:17

We have quite a long garden that backs onto a scrubby bit of public land (full of overgrown bushes and trees) that the local druggies like to use to shoot up in as its out of the way of public view.

As soon as the sun comes out its like a conveyor belt, groups of 4 or 5 at a time doing their stuff and leaving dirty needles, bits of foil and other drug stuff behind. I recognise most of them now, they come from the direction of an alcohol/drug dry centre a few roads away, this is the nearest bit of public land to them.

I hate going up the garden during sunny times as you can guarantee someone will be there, you can hear the foul language over the fence. Luckily DD is too little to understand it but in the summer it affects our use of the garden and I'm fed up with not wanting to use some of my own home because of them.

If I know they're up there I ring 101 and usually a PCSO will go and take a look, but by that point they are usually gone. I've been told by the coppers that if they see them they move them on but otherwise there's nothing they can do.

It really makes me Angry when I see the same people begging for money on our high street. It isn't hard to see where the money goes.

And before anyone says, no I don't want them just to be 'moved on' to be someone else's problem, I'm just frustrated with the effect it has on our living space. It must be terrible to have a drug habit when you do that kind of thing to yourself.

OP posts:
lightrain · 29/06/2012 20:28

It sounds horrendous. To be honest, I'd move. It'd be enough for me, no matter how nice your house is. Poor you.

Krumbum · 29/06/2012 20:30

You could go and speak to them about the noise? They are humans.

TheMysteryCat · 29/06/2012 20:32

is there a decent outreach service for drug and alcohol in your area? you could contact them?

or local charities that support people with addiction issues?

drjohnsonscat · 29/06/2012 20:35

Just sympathising. Sounds depressing. Obviously YANBU.

bucketbetty · 29/06/2012 20:35

I know it will be difficult but I would speak to them. I'm not sure what response you ll get but I suspect they will go.

JumpingThroughHoops · 29/06/2012 20:36

Police?

NiniLegsInTheAir · 29/06/2012 20:39

TBH I wouldn't really want to talk to them, most of them are men (big men too) and I'd feel intimidated. Plus I don't think going into bushes out of public view to talk to drug abusers is a good idea for my safety.

Mysterycat the outreach centre a few roads away I mentioned is a local charity. TBH I'd not thought of contacting them but I'll try to find their details.

jumping 101 is the police :)

Moving not an option Sad

OP posts:
drjohnsonscat · 29/06/2012 20:44

Sorry meant to say could your local councillor intervene? Get the land developed somehow so it doesn't attract this stuff?

sesameflower · 29/06/2012 20:49

if you find a way to make them feel they are being watched or that its not private for them. it would deter them.

PomBearWithAnOFRS · 29/06/2012 20:57

You could try putting a bin out there, with a little sign on it saying "Please use this bin, children play near here. Thank You"
Or even ask your council to put a proper metal one. Our council do send out a "clean up squad" to drugs litter, but obviously it lies there until they arrive. At least in a bin there's a big reduction in the danger to children, pets, and wildlife from the crap.
I know it's horrid to have near you, but if you upset them they might vandalise your stuff or even throw needles into your garden or something :( The "softly softly" appeal to any better nature they might have might work...

Joiningthegang · 29/06/2012 21:04

Contact your local drug and alcohol action team who should be able to develop a co-ordinated approach to tackle this from police to treatment support to reminding them to dispose of needles responsibly. If they don't do anything try your mp. Not sure where you are in the country.

Worth speaking to your children about not touching needles too.

NiniLegsInTheAir · 29/06/2012 21:29

The area can't be developed drjohnsonscat - its just a small bit of scrubland between our gardens and a public footpath (plus there are rare bats nesting so they can't touch it).

Think I need to do a bit of investigation into drugs teams at the council, they may not even be aware. Maybe they can help. Unfortunately the police attitude is that they will 'go somewhere' to do what they do and there is as good a place as any.

You're right Pombear I don't want to upset them. Sad

OP posts:
drjohnsonscat · 29/06/2012 21:35

Annoying re the bats! Try yr local cllr anyway. They are supposed to work on stuff like this. Ours recently helped us move some Roma gypsies from our school steps. Yes they have to go somewhere but you are bearing the brunt of this and perhaps they can help coordinate police with local authority wardens. That's what happened round our way anyway.

NiniLegsInTheAir · 29/06/2012 21:41

Thanks drjohnsonscat, I will contact my councillor and give that route a go :)

OP posts:
MAYBELATERNOWIMBUSY · 03/07/2012 20:47

ask council to remove bushes? contact local paper insisting on "no names"

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