Mum's plea after being branded a 'grass'
A MOTHER says she is desperate to leave a city estate after a bungled police raid on her home left her being labelled a grass.
The mother-of-two, who lives on the Bestwood Estate, has pleaded to Nottingham City Homes (NCH) for a move for herself, her three-year-old daughter and her two-year-old son since the incident in June.
The police had been looking for a wanted offender who was believed to be being harboured in a neighbouring house.
Officers later raided another house in the same street but failed to find the person they were looking for.
Since then, the mother and her children have been subjected to:
A lit firework being thrown at the mother's daughter
A burglary
An attempted burglary
Windows being smashed on the family car and its tax disc stolen
Verbal abuse in the street
The frightened mother says that despite receiving a police apology for the mistaken raid and their backing for her bid to move, the family have been told by NCH they do not qualify for priority re-housing.
She said: "I don't know what has to happen before we can move.
"We've been here since last August and the first week we moved in someone tried to burgle us. We hadn't had any more problems until the police raid.
"My mother came to visit and her car was lifted up and moved further down the street.
"One of my friend's cars has also been damaged. It's getting to the stage where some people are too scared to visit us. It seems whenever there's a raid [on the Bestwood Estate] I get blamed for it.
"I wouldn't want my worst enemy to live on this street."
Gill Moy, director of housing at NCH, said: "We are aware of this case and have been in contact with her [the mother] over the past few months. To date there has been insufficient evidence to put her into a higher priority housing band, due to anti-social behaviour.
"This is a complicated case and NCH will continue to liaise with all parties involved, to reach a successful conclusion."
Local area commander, Inspector Robert Wilson, said: "Safer Neighbourhood Officers have visited this lady and have worked to address her concerns.
"Officers have also offered her crime prevention advice and explained what to do if any further incidents of anti-social behaviour occur.
"The local beat manager has also liaised with Nottingham City Homes in an effort to work through some of her residential worries."
Anyone with information to help the police with their enquiries can call 0115 967 0999 or, anonymously, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
guy.woodford@nottinghameveningpost.co.uk
19 Comments
View all
by anonoymous, Nottingham
Tuesday, December 02 2008, 10:39PM
“Quiet frankly I find a lot of these comments disgusting. The fact is that this woman is being targeted because of a msitake on behalf of the police. She has not caused this herself.
It is not evident that she is on the 'dole' as some of you have so eloquently put it. She probably does work part-time to support her children and the rest of the time she spends bringing them up! Therefore she cannot afford to just go and rent accommodation privately. And why should she? It says a lot for our council if they cannot house a woman with two young children in an area where they are safe!
I don't think anyone should judge this woman and decide that she does not deserve assisstance from the so called 'nanny state'. Even if she was on the dole that would not mean she that she should not be entitled to help from the council to move her away from an area which is clearly dangerous to her and her children's lives!
Neither should this woman be labelled a 'bint' by thoes who have no idea of what this woman is having to cope with. It must be terrifying for her to live her own home, nobody should have to feel like that!
And as for her relying on the 'nany state', think about that the next time you recieve your child tax credit or your family allowance, and for those without children the next time you go and see your doctor, which might I add is provided to you free of charge by the nanny state, think about how much of the tax payer's money is being spent on that?!
You who damn this woman to having her children taken into care and her thrown on the street should feel ashamed of yourselfs! Heaven forbid you ever get down on your luck and find yourself looking for the helpful hand of the welfare state, I hope it is as helpful to you as it seems to have been for her!
Furthermore if you've got nothing better to do in your day then make snide and self righteous comment about people who are trying to gain safe environments for themselve and/or their families maybe you should get a hobbie!”
by Peter, Red Deer AB
Tuesday, December 02 2008, 7:15PM
“well if she's a worker , why not rent somewhere else as she has money coming in on regular basis , shouldn't be much of a problem then”
by Anonymous, Nottingham
Tuesday, December 02 2008, 5:50PM
“I think its absolutely disgusting that people would dare to prejudge someone. Not one of you can say for certain that this person is a "scrounger". She may very well be a part time worker.
Never the less she has two very young children, for which she is concerned for their welfare and rightly so after the police clearly failed to do their jobs properly.
If anything we should be complaining about this.”
by Anonymous, Nottingham
Tuesday, December 02 2008, 5:46PM
“I think it's absolutely disgusting that people would judge this person without knowing their situation. Not one of you can say for certain that this person is on benefits, she may well be in part time work.
Never the less, she is a mother of two very young children, and is clearly distressed due to the police obvioulsy not doing their jobs properly.
That is what you should be complaining about, we pay taxes so that we can be protected and feel safe at home, but the police have clearly neglected their duties in this case whch is horrifying.
I think the police and the council need to pull their fingers out and find this poor young mother and her children a safe home.”
by Graham, Notts
Tuesday, December 02 2008, 11:17AM
“Ok I've found you a sniper rifle. It's yours for £100.
For the record this conversation never took place, I've never met you and you've never heard of me.
*nudge nudge wink wink*”