To think that the prosecution of these boys was inevitable but depressing

[travellinglighter]

www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/romford-attack-teenagers-charged-after-assault-on-boy-15-in-park-a3357801.html

I have seen the video of this happening and frankly it really depresses me. You listen to the “gangsta speak" and wonder what the hell do we do with people who would do this sort of thing. The assault is bad enough but the fact it seems so normal to them that they would post it on social media. Insult added to injury It’s almost a badge of honour for them to act like a bullying bastard.

What punishment will they receive?? It won’t be adult prison and any prison time means that they will be unemployable (not sure they were hugely employable in the first place). If they are fined??? Big deal, I suspect that whatever happens, rather than vilification from their peers they will get kudos for being a hard man.

What can you do to these kids (and they are just big kids) that will make them worthwhile citizens?? I can’t think of anything.

I have kids who have to go out in the world where people like this wander the streets. Thank god I live in a small town on the right side of the Welsh border but we have our feral element as well and I wonder how many of them see this and think “That looks like fun.”

How do you teach your kids to be streetwise enough to avoid these situations? Lets face it, no amount of self defence lessons would have saved this boy from older, stronger more aggressive teenagers.

The kids both have a phone that are a worth a lot of money, it’s time to talk to them about not getting the phone out in public. Avoiding back streets and parks where large groups gather. Isn’t it awful that I potentially have to scare them like this.

As if jen their street cred would be some what dismissed if they were able to ever speak again that is

Your faith in the police is touching but our local Facebook group is covered at the moment with photographic and video evidence of a minor being attacked with a hammer by a grown man. Police aren't interested.

Oh well at least you know you can dole out punishment beatings unhindered by, you know, the law. nice attitude of someone who has responsibility for raising the next generation.

(jen has retained it better than me, slight hang over this morning! )

Oh Jen I think when you live amongst this and see it day in day out and what a fucking joke the law is you get pretty jaded. My brothers are big men, 6'4" and built like tanks, they've both been attached on public transport, cctv cameras everywhere, nobody ever caught, police don't even take statements any more. I'd have no kalms whatsoever tbh

Pissed off I do find it genuinely hard to believe that the police are not interested in that kind of abuse.

(The hammer comment)

I'd have no kalms whatsoever tbh

That makes you exactly the people in this video. You can justify your actions, they can justify theirs. You're the same.

I can only go off what Facebook comments I've read, equally I do have first hand experience of my brother having the crap beaten out of him in front of his ex girlfriend by her new boyfriend and the police taking the word of said girlfriend as a credible witness. Fucking joke, far better to deal with it yourself

It's all pretty awful isn't it Jen
Until something changes and the law gets tough I'll firstly do everything in my power to keep my children safe, but God help anyone who touches them

I can only go off what Facebook comments I've read


These aren't facts. They are fb comments.


Your brothers experience is a separate issue, sounds horrible and physical violence does not answer anything. We don't know the ins and out of all of it. If he was unfairly treated he should complain to the police.


But this is the point; physical violence does not solve anything.

Ah the great facebook pitchfork wavers

Violet - do you honestly think he didn't ? Really ?
Over and over you see the same crap happening, the police are helpless. One time I heard a policeman tell somebody who'd thrown water over somebody else - not crime of the century - but it kicked off another fight, that in their statement they needed to say it was accidentally spilt. I mean wtf. Worlds gone bloody mad

Hob I don't know any more than any of the FB pitch fork wavers but the photos seem pretty graphic and clear to me

Very glad I live very far away from the kind of place this would happen

I live in Romford, about a couple of miles from this park, which actually happens to be the romford/Gidea Park area (one of the better areas in Romford) so it can happen anywhere. Its a popular park with families and small DC.

My DS is nearly 17, he could've gone to school or even been friends with these boys, so I'm in two minds of I want to find out more.

It is very tragic what happened to this younger boy .

Is it my eyesight or are there four in the screenshot plus the boy on the ground? 3 have been arrested (one bailed) si who's the 4th?

I sometimes despair at Romford (I love the town though) it is turning into a right shitpit at times.
No manners, the yeah bruv stupid talk.

What do do with these boys though? Maybe Community service? The proper hard work clearing dogshit from the park type?

Very glad I live very far away from the kind of place this would happen

I think you're missing the point. Bad things happen in nice places too. Yes, the chances may be slightly lower than in an inner city but you're not untouchable.

I love Jeremy Vine's response.

You certainly increase or decrease the odds though living in certain areas.
Of course there's good and bad in every area, but I drive my kids 25 mins each way each day to avoid them associating with these types

It does make you wonder if bringing back National Service of some kind would be a good idea. In other countries like Israel and Switzerland, they don't have this gang problem because all 18 year olds have to do a minimum amount of military service (it can either be combatant or non-combatant, you choose) and it seems to work well.

I'm not sure it would sort out your really bad criminals like The Krays but it might give lads like this a sense of discipline they're not getting at home.

They could make it so it's not actually forced - if you can show evidence of having a permanent job to go to, you don't need to do it. Otherwise you do.

The crazy thing is I think a lot of these young men would love to do it, get a lot out of it and be better for the experience

Perhaps national service but with the option of serving it in the community as well as just military service. Maybe A Combination of both. I think we've come away from the idea of the community and the sense of neighbourhood. We need to be directing our youth to think more of others. More of their future and the community they hope to live in once their teen years are over. Do they hope to have careers and job opportunities? Do they hope to have safe areas where their children can play? Do they hope to feel safe at night without worrying about their teens walking home from youth club? Do they hope to have a relationship with the police that means when they need them they know they'll come? And their local councillors too? Do they hope to travel and not be restricted by a criminal record? Do they hope that if someone were to attack their child those around would intervene and stop it instead of film it? Do they even know any of this stuff is an option for them?

'London urban accent' my arse. The yoofs speak just like this in inner city east Leeds too, even though none of have been within 5000 miles of Jamaica. It's a total affectation.

"small town on the right side of the Welsh border

hmm what side is that?"

England, obviously.

Wales is to the left.

No-one in the military wants national service. You put your lives in the hands of people you serve alongside - no-one in their right mind would want to go into combat with someone who a) didn't want to be there and b) was there because s/he was unmanageable and criminal

I don't think anyone is suggesting sending them to war Long but surely military personnel are some of the best people to be father figures to those that haven't had one, which is the root of the problem imo