Herne Bay antisocial kids

[Notsosure1]

There’s currently a real problem with antisocial behaviour concerning kids that are causing havoc in their local community. They’re using catapults to harm/kill wildlife and on foreign students, regularly stealing from local shops, pissing on charity shop donations and verbally abusing people. The police have had to outsource security at a cost of over £8k. They know they can’t be touched and are making the lives of a lot of ppl a misery.

Someone has suggested they create more activities for them to do as they are bored, which sounds like a sensible solution, but with the COL isn’t likely.

As these kids have been described as between 8 and 10 years old they must be under an adult/s care, as they can’t be left unsupervised at home. Would the police targeting their parents/carers for criminal liability/ prosecution (as they are their responsibility) act as a deterrent do you think?

It’s obviously the kids who are doing the damage, not the adults, but as they’re technically too young to be held accountable, should their adults be punished for their crimes so they are perhaps galvanised into taking responsibility and control of these children?
(Most) Adults have to work, but legally there needs to be at least one in charge of kids this age.

The catapult thing is happening a lot near me too by all accounts. Im in charing

gosh I used to live near here

Seems to be doing the rounds. It was students doing it in Broadstairs a while back.

Do you think it’s unfair to charge their guardians for the criminal damage and anti social behaviour though? On the one hand they aren’t the ones doing it, but on the other, they are legally responsible for them while they are children, a bit like dog owners being held responsible for any damage done by their pets.

Shouldn’t the adults be held to account, like fining, community service etc, to encourage them to ensure better supervision or that at least some restrictions are imposed to keep these little sods under control if nothing else?

This sounds absolutely dreadful, and thank you for informing us all op.

We live in London and Broadstairs and Herne Bay are two of our favourite coastal areas to visit but we haven’t had the opportunity to do so since last Summer.

We are in a mixed heritage marriage with children and we have dogs who we also bring with us to the beach, so very sadly I do not think we will take the risk of visiting at present, and had been due to visit in the next couple of weeks.

Oh no, I’m really sorry to hear that you may have to rethink your visit there. Give it a google, the article I read was recent but things update all the time and they may have stepped up how they are dealing with it. They’ve already employed security which is a step in the right direction and police are visiting on the other days. Who knows, the kids may have been given stern words by ppl they’ll actually listen to. By the same token it may be nice to explore somewhere different this year which could become a new favourite place.

I hope you and your family still have a lovely summer break whether or not you decide to go there ☀️

@Notsosure1

Thank you for your lovely message. I will definitely have a read and we will still consider a visit.