OAP friend was attacked, WTF is wrong with people?

[AthenaPashmina]

This is a bit depressing, so if you are tired of societal bad news, click away now!

A bit fed up. We found out that our elderly friend, a man in his early 80's, who is in great shape and very active, was attacked last week by a group of school aged teens; 3 boys and 2 girls (all 14 yrs old). He is always travelling, going to concerts and folk festivals, etc, and not remotely 'doddering' or slowing down.

He attends some sort of craft beer group each week and often walks home around 9pm as he lives only a few yards form the event. This time, these people were simply walking past and set on him, severely harming him (kicking his head), and he had to spend time in hospital. Thankfully he is recovering fine and has even started to get back to his routines.

But I am stupidly pissed off.
You get talking with other friends of friends and discover this isn't all that uncommon here, with a huge spike in trouble during the summer hols. We live a bit away from the town itself but the central areas are a fucking shit show now, and more depressingly due to many of the incidents and crimes being committed by kids. I have even witnessed a good bit of it myself when in town and certain areas of it are off limits. It wasn't even like this a few years ago, so god knows where it has all come from.

I know that I ANBU to be fed up about our friend, but even though we are moving away soon for work reasons it does cross my mind that something has changed. Is it on the rise everywhere? I am sorry for the doom and gloom, and i usually try to meet the world in a positive way, but I am less optimistic at the moment. I doubt that this is only occurring in our town, but admit it has been a bit shitty for a while as the high streets went bust and you know the rest. It is not an affluent town, although many of the surrounding areas are. Somewhat typical for the midlands perhaps, I have no idea.

What bothers me most is the age of some of the offenders. I never used to see this in the past. Maybe this has happened throughout history and it's nothing all that new, but it sure as heck feels that way here.

It isn't something on my radar but we are very leafy.

Why is it happening? Where are the Bobbies on the beat? What happened to consequences?

I hope your friend is OK.

YANBU - I am very sorry for your friend. I’m glad to hear he’s on the mend. It must have been a horrific experience for him.

I can’t begin to understand why kids would want to do this. It wouldn’t have even crossed my mind, or my friends, when we were similar ages. So I don’t know what’s changed. Exposure to violent video games? (not a thing when we were younger), lack of sanctions?

Yep its a thing in my city too. Just a couple of weeks ago a group of young teens attacked a doctor and his wife in the local park. Filmed it too of course.

They're untouchable at that age and they know it. Heaven help any adult who tries to defend themselves, they'd be the ones in the dock.

The police are all busy policing protests I think. It’s definitely not the numbers (oft-trotted out on here) as they’ve been increasing for a while. They regularly draft in officers from other forces for the perpetual, pointless protests.

The bobbies on the beat have been gone for a very long time but the gov said around 2008 they were going to bring them back and never did. Teenage violence has been an issue for at least 20 years. ASBOs were supposed to help but IDK if they were effective. I think unless they can get enough evidence for a conviction police are toothless these days, and jail is not a deterrent.

Out of interest, how do you know the kids are exactly 14? Does this mean they’ve been caught? If not presumably you know them and could report? Not that I hold out hope of prosecution.

Teens here hit a man in a racist attack with a branch to his head.
3 months on and his still in hospital

Teens not caught. Police have recently dropped the case

When I was younger a lot of fights were a bit handbags and nobody got badly hurt and they tended to be between different youth cults.
Only time I was badly hurt was when I caught the attention of some skinheads.

At no time would we harass elderly people or general public it just wasn't done
Their is something inherently wrong with kids that inflict hidings on other kids,elderly etc and film it for the likes.

So sorry about your friend OP, I think at that age it can really be especially awful and then people get scared to go out (reasonably). I hope he continues to get back to his routine.

unfortunately this seems to be on the rise - we
recently a group of about 20 kids turn on an alcoholic in the local park. There was also a load of kids who chased 2 others through the town and they had to be rescued by someone who realised what was going on when they saw the knives and took the 2 kids being chased into their house til the police arrived. We don’t live anywhere remotely ghetto-ish - it was a nice, leafy, touristy town. The thing is many of them know they can’t really be dealt with by the law as they are young.

I was fortunate enough to be in Japan recently - it honestly felt much safer, you can use your phone in the street for instance without fear of it being snatched. Much higher level of respect for everyone too. I realise no country is perfect but it honestly felt a big contrast to the UK and it made me quite sad about how our society is now.

I still think the vast vast majority of people are decent and would be horrified by this. Including your average 14 year old.
Public shaming is a powerful tool that could be used more effectively. How do you know they were 14? Are the local schools involved?
It can be that an extremely small group of shit and chaotic families can cause most of the misery in an area. I bet the locals are up in arms about this.

It's awful but unfortunately this is hardly a new crime or new phenomenon.

So awful.. he sounds in great shape but it only takes one knock in your 80s to start the downward trajectory. It’s shocking