I'm a witness...but I'm not sure if I want/wanted too...
Discussion
Please feel free to move this somewhere else if not appropriate here.
So few weeks ago while doing some DIY around the house I have spotted 2 lads climbing on the scaffold set up to render house across the road - I told them off and carried on with my own business round the back of my house - nipping home through the front few minutes later I now see them climbing on my neighbors car having 'fun' not thinking much I rush across the road and tell them off again giving a lecture about respect and private property (lads about 14-16 years old)
one of them runs away (well known chavy type) the other one (Black Gangsta Type Fake Gold + Baseball Cap Dude) walks straight up to me and goes: 'mind your own business before you get hurt man' at which point I go ballistic (words only)and tell him I will now follow him home and jump on his car not impressed with that perspective he runs away...
My neighbor arrives home 15minutes later... I tell her the story at which point she said: 'I have seen them messing around your car today morning' (I'm thinking well thanks for NOT reacting then) She then spots damage on her £500 car and calls cops.
Cops arrive next day AM and drag me out of bead to take my statement-fair enough I want to help and change something in our neighborhood but don't want live waiting for the revenge to happen...
Now things are escalating...my neighbor sold her car (£500 instead of £750 she wanted for it before damage occurred) I will need to appear in court as the lads denied being there all together...
I already had my own car keyed and stones throwed in my windows
I now have cctv system in place as an extra measure...while watching what's been recorded few days ago when some stuff disappeared from my front garden I see my neighbors on their drive (across the road)
totally ignoring white van which just drove by to reverse only few seconds later people jumping out and grabbing my stuff...
Now my dilemma is:
Should I back out from whole case for my safety sake and purely because I know the don't care what's happening with my property...and why should I risk for the sake of £250 they lost on a car which doesn't even belong to them anymore?
or should I appear in court and testify to get the buggers punished for what they done to my neighbors car? and be proud I done the right thing fear for my own safety for the rest of the days on the estate (no money to move out and I have invested to much money in the house)
Any views welcome...
So few weeks ago while doing some DIY around the house I have spotted 2 lads climbing on the scaffold set up to render house across the road - I told them off and carried on with my own business round the back of my house - nipping home through the front few minutes later I now see them climbing on my neighbors car having 'fun' not thinking much I rush across the road and tell them off again giving a lecture about respect and private property (lads about 14-16 years old)
one of them runs away (well known chavy type) the other one (Black Gangsta Type Fake Gold + Baseball Cap Dude) walks straight up to me and goes: 'mind your own business before you get hurt man' at which point I go ballistic (words only)and tell him I will now follow him home and jump on his car not impressed with that perspective he runs away...
My neighbor arrives home 15minutes later... I tell her the story at which point she said: 'I have seen them messing around your car today morning' (I'm thinking well thanks for NOT reacting then) She then spots damage on her £500 car and calls cops.
Cops arrive next day AM and drag me out of bead to take my statement-fair enough I want to help and change something in our neighborhood but don't want live waiting for the revenge to happen...
Now things are escalating...my neighbor sold her car (£500 instead of £750 she wanted for it before damage occurred) I will need to appear in court as the lads denied being there all together...
I already had my own car keyed and stones throwed in my windows
I now have cctv system in place as an extra measure...while watching what's been recorded few days ago when some stuff disappeared from my front garden I see my neighbors on their drive (across the road)
totally ignoring white van which just drove by to reverse only few seconds later people jumping out and grabbing my stuff...
Now my dilemma is:
Should I back out from whole case for my safety sake and purely because I know the don't care what's happening with my property...and why should I risk for the sake of £250 they lost on a car which doesn't even belong to them anymore?
or should I appear in court and testify to get the buggers punished for what they done to my neighbors car? and be proud I done the right thing fear for my own safety for the rest of the days on the estate (no money to move out and I have invested to much money in the house)
Any views welcome...
The Crack Fox said:
Stick to your guns. That's an easy thing for me to say from the safety of this keyboard, but no-one deserves to live around scum like this, so let the Police do their job (ask them for more regular patrols, mentioning your concerns) and wait for the feckers to move on/away. Good luck.
They're minors. They'll get a slap on the wrist, or at worst a few weeks community. Police won't have the manpower to up patrols.
Stick with it as ultimately it will improve your area. Also, go and talk to your neighbours and explain that you're doing this to improve the area despite the problems it is causing you and that you'd appreciate it if they would be alert to what goes on around them as you'll all benefit in the end.
It's easy to moan about the state of a neighbourhood and only look at the bad things that happen, but you have to put some effort in to make the good things happen too.
It's easy to moan about the state of a neighbourhood and only look at the bad things that happen, but you have to put some effort in to make the good things happen too.
If they get punished for the things they have done, it won't be much.
Not all the kids that were there will get charged.
Which then means after you have given witness to the incident they know where you live and where you could possibly live for the rest of your life.
If these kids are local and pass by daily then expect future incidents. CCTV will probably help but it won't help when a brick is thrown from 100ft away.
Not all the kids that were there will get charged.
Which then means after you have given witness to the incident they know where you live and where you could possibly live for the rest of your life.
If these kids are local and pass by daily then expect future incidents. CCTV will probably help but it won't help when a brick is thrown from 100ft away.
Think of the costs - the police manpower, the arrests, the intervioews, the charging advice, the charging, the court time, it all costs a lot of money for a witness to blow the case at the last minute.
I do appreciate your position but you can be witness summoned to attend court and once you do that, your evidence tends to be undermined anyway. As others have said, make a stand for what is right. Sure they may not get much by way of punishment but sentences are cumulative and every conviction moves them nearer to a young offender's hotel...er, institution.
Who knows, one day a conviction may actually deter future offending but letting them intimidate you simply encourages more offending and more intimidation tactics.
I do appreciate your position but you can be witness summoned to attend court and once you do that, your evidence tends to be undermined anyway. As others have said, make a stand for what is right. Sure they may not get much by way of punishment but sentences are cumulative and every conviction moves them nearer to a young offender's hotel...er, institution.
Who knows, one day a conviction may actually deter future offending but letting them intimidate you simply encourages more offending and more intimidation tactics.
CraigMST said:
If they get punished for the things they have done, it won't be much.
Not all the kids that were there will get charged.
Which then means after you have given witness to the incident they know where you live and where you could possibly live for the rest of your life.
If these kids are local and pass by daily then expect future incidents. CCTV will probably help but it won't help when a brick is thrown from 100ft away.
Well exactly that's what I'm fearing off + the fact that my neighbors wouldn't give a fNot all the kids that were there will get charged.
Which then means after you have given witness to the incident they know where you live and where you could possibly live for the rest of your life.
If these kids are local and pass by daily then expect future incidents. CCTV will probably help but it won't help when a brick is thrown from 100ft away.
k if something happened to me or my property (it appears this way anyway) I just don't know if it's worth losing sleep over their £250 loss - but their again it makes me the same as they are if I don't do anything...I'm losing faith in police and courts because of the way they act...and their relaxed approach to small crime like this - its where it all starts and should be tackled - instead I will: I should catch them and record it without doing them any harm in the process - phone police - wait 1 or maybe 2 days then expect they will get told off by the judge and let go...
LuS1fer said:
Given the threat towards you and the subsequent targeting, you might ask the prosecutor to apply for a restraining order against them if convicted - assuming they are adults, not youths.
FAIL - Wrong Assumption - I'm sure I have mentioned that they are underage gangsta typesAsk the police to have a word with the parents, warning them that if they are caught doing damage to a witness it will be very very bad for them... ?
Good on you for upholding civil responsibility! Try getting a neighborhood watch together. I was in a 'hood that when an alarm went off the blokes would pile out and have a look or if a stranger was seen they were politely asked if they were lost... Any backchat was answered by pointing out that we had a watch and that what we do. It went very quiet there and we developed a good sense of community and started really helping each other with all sorts of things -benefits of mutual protection and friendship.
HTH
Cheers
Good on you for upholding civil responsibility! Try getting a neighborhood watch together. I was in a 'hood that when an alarm went off the blokes would pile out and have a look or if a stranger was seen they were politely asked if they were lost... Any backchat was answered by pointing out that we had a watch and that what we do. It went very quiet there and we developed a good sense of community and started really helping each other with all sorts of things -benefits of mutual protection and friendship.
HTH
Cheers
If you pull out it probably wouldn't stop anyway, they will then see you as a weak and easy target. At least if you go through with it they know you have the balls to follow something like that up.
I've been to court as a witness, I had similar fears. As rubbish as it can be, it is really for the better.
I've been to court as a witness, I had similar fears. As rubbish as it can be, it is really for the better.
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