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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Saw Asian neighbour being harassed. Reported to 101. Now it's a crime, & I'm beside myself.

61 replies

Yoksha · 23/07/2018 17:26

This afternoon I witnessed a gang of boys, some on bikes, jeering, banging & shouting on my neighbour's door. I saw same boys on Saturday after lunch. They were cycling in & out of drives. I clocked them because they were strangers.

My neighbour came out his door. They were all jumping up and down, laughing and generally being disrespectful. He lost it and sped after them. He had his shoe in mid-air ready to throw. He was swearing etc. I pulled him back and advised him to stop. He told me this isn't the first time. They were being disrespectful from the ethnicity aspect. It went beyond jolly japes. There was a negative vibe to what I saw.

I called 101 to log what I'd seen. Obtained log nos. It transpires the ethnic disrespect is considered a racial hate crime. Went to give it to neighbour. Was intending to let him know that if he wanted to take it further, then it was up to him. I swear no longer than 3mins passed as I went out front door & there was my neighbour, a cop car with 2 constables, some upset young lads from another house and their grandparents. Lads were vehemently saying "it wasn't us". I didn't clock too much. Only vague ages. Well dressed etc. It turns out some were mates of this other neighbour's lads. My harassed neighbour hadn't called police. He was as bemused as me. The grandparents of the young lads also bemused. My BP has gone through the roof. I can't stop crying of repercussions. I want to run away and hide. I really wished I'd kept my big mouth shut. I'm not a young mum now. Grandma of 20 & 18 yrs olds. I'm just frightened & getting this out of perspective. Please give me a kick up the pants & tell me to calm down. This has all taken on a bizarre life of it's own.

OP posts:
LighthouseSouth · 23/07/2018 18:30

@Undercoverbanana

I'm saying I wouldn't want someone reporting it about me because I'd be scared of repercussions though

It should be the victim's choice to report.

IJustHadToNameChange · 23/07/2018 18:34

Empathy and shock.

It's fairly common to be unsettled after seeing violence/criminal behaviour, even if you're not directly involved.

If you don't live in a crime riddled area, dialling the emergency services can be daunting as well.

It's one of those out of the ordinary events that can leave you sleepless.

Even if no one was hurt and you weren't directly involved.

We're not all psychopaths.

Redglitter · 23/07/2018 18:35

I can guarantee that calls to 101 can and do generate a blue light response

The response your call gets depends on the nature of the call, not how it came in. The advantage of 999 is a faster reply from the calltakers. After the call is put on the system whether it's 999 or 101 doesn't get factored in. I never look at how a call was received all I'm interested in is the nature of the call and prioritising it that way.

A lot of people think phoning 999 gets the police out faster. It doesn't 😊

lozster · 23/07/2018 18:39

There was a report on police response the other week and I think they said that the response time for hate crime (if that’s the right phrase) is one hour. Might have the exact time wrong but point is that it is prioritised.

tempester28 · 23/07/2018 18:42

You did the right thing. The grandparents of the other boys will tell them not to bring those friends round anymore. This police visit may be enough to prevent it happening again. It is the beginning of 6 weeks where these boys could be hanging around alot and you have shown them that bad behaviour won't be ignored.

Undercoverbanana · 23/07/2018 18:45

LighthouseSouth - Victim’s choice to report?

Do we ignore murders now then? Just step over the bodies because the victim hasn’t given permission for a fuss to be made? If my son was racially abused and had a knife sticking out of him, I think I’d like someone to report it in some way.

Yoksha · 23/07/2018 18:45

Lighthouse & Undercover I'm grateful for both perspectives. Thank you. I'm realising a completely better rounded out pov just reading replies.

Although I gave my name etc. I didn't give neighbours name, because I don't know it. I admitted this rather embarrassingly to PC. We've lived near each other over 10 yrs.

I agree there was a disconnect between logging on 101 & subsequent repercussions. This was the first time I've called the police ever. But in hindsight, I'd still protect someone again. I'd do it differently tho' based on certain replies. Growing up, we dealt with crime 'our way' leaving out the police. I guess I'm just reliving past traumas and admit I've lost perspective. I've become a 'Dudley-do-right' these intervening years. Grin.

OP posts:
Charolais · 23/07/2018 19:02

Do the police respond as quickly when people get things stolen from their home or vandalism done to their property? I live abroad and have done for decades and I’m curious about this because when I see my old UK friends posting on FB about dogs being stolen from back gardens, bikes being stolen etc and there never seems to be any police involvement.

RoseWhiteTips · 23/07/2018 19:02

Good for you.

RiverTam · 23/07/2018 19:05

You did the right thing, awful for your neighbours.

Bombardier25966 · 23/07/2018 19:10

Charolais, offences against a person (as opposed to property) and offences that are still in progress will be prioritised. Unfortunately funding cuts mean there are not the resources for the police to investigate every crime.

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