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