Anti social behavior or boys being boys

[ChocolateSqueezyyogurts]

I received a phone call from the police today but was in work so didnt answer. They left a VM saying they would call me later (obviously I was confused and concerned why) they rang back a couple of hours later to say my 16 year old DS and a group of his friends have been caught on CCTV playing football on a local astro turf pitch and the club has reported them for anti social behaviour.

The club think the boys have climbed over the fence but the boys are saying the gate was left open and they know they shouldn't have been on there but they didnt think anybody would know.

The police officer said they wanted to visit each of the boys at home to explain that they are being let off this time but to issue a warning.

Ive obviously told my son not to do this again but I think young lads this age are probably always pulling stunts like this and to class it as anti social behavior is a bit much.

Is it a theft of services as using a facility without paying for it?

We can only go on what OP told us which is that they were playing footbal. From an update it seems that the schools I dentifie them from cctv

I'm not a lawyer but I think that would be a real stretch.

What a terrible expression OP boys will be boys.

Wouldn't you rather have police arresting rapists or even shop lifters rather than teenage boys playing football on gasp! A football pitch? Wouldn't you also no involved in crimes where they don't actually have an jurisdiction (trespass is a civil offence)?

Yes the boys were naughty but it's hardly the great train robbery is it

No such thing as boys being boys.

Maybe OP could be arrested for using the phrase boys will be boys, wish it could be an offence

Wow. We has loads of fun without being antisocial. We can tell exactly what kind of parent you are 😂

I don’t think it’s particularly anti social to play football on a football pitch by opening a gate.

I did it, DH did it and DS1 did it.

@JonesTown don’t you have parks near you?

After how much rain we have had most of our parks are unusable at the minute. Astro is better.

Really couldn’t get worked up about this.

@JonesTown do you expect others to fund these football pitches for your benefit?

The football pitch is there regardless of whether I use it or not. I don’t see that a group of teens who use it in a sensible manner is going to cause any issues.

But the club has to maintain the pitch and they do that by asking people to pay to use it. Why do you think you should get free use and others have to pay?

I don’t think I should get free use. However, the majority of teen boys can’t afford to pay to rent football pitches.

@JonesTown probably can’t afford much in shops either so is it okay for them to shoplift too?

Unless they dug up the Astroturf and took it home with them you can’t compare it to shop lifting🤦🏼‍♀️

Unreal when they don’t attend for a lot of other stuff

@Mayflowerz okay is it okay if they cheat their way into a gym for free, because we couldn’t expect them to pay

Gyms usually have gates/receptions you have to get through. Gates are not usually open for anyone just to walk in.

Gate to the Astro was left open and they used the facilities. No harm done.

Last week I desperately needed to use the bathroom, nearest place was Costa where they have a big sign saying toilets for paying customers only, door was left open so I nipped in and used their facilities. No harm done.

@Mayflowerz so it would have been wrong if they climbed over the gate if the club hadn’t accidentally left the gate open. If I leave my front door open can random teens just walk into my house

Nope, because a gym requires staff, electricity and cleaning to operate, all of which need to be paid for.

They are not imposing any cost on the club by using the pitch while the gate is open.

@JonesTown do you think an Astro is free to maintain

Again you can’t compare.