UK riots: families pay the price for childrens’ crimes
Families are facing eviction from council flats for their childrens’ part in riots and looting across the UK. Police are urging parents to report their children if they were involved.
Salford and Manchester councils will also consider evicting council home tenants if their children are caught on CCTV involved in the riots.
David Cameron has defended the measure, but many have criticised it as unfair.
‘Report your children’
Parents are being asked to report their children to police if know they were involved in looting or disorder.
One teenager is on a 9-month behaviour contract after his parents saw his photo on the internet and notified police.
“It’s wrong and he won’t be doing it again, that’s all I have to say,” his father said.
His mother said she was ashamed of her son’s actions but refused to accept responsibility.
“I went out looking for him but I couldn’t find him. I am ashamed of him – he won’t be doing it again. He’s grounded.
“But don’t blame me for it – it’s the government to blame. There’s nothing for him to do at the end of the day.”
‘Civil exclusion’
Around 400 city centre shops in Manchester have agreed to ban convicted looters for two years.
Their pictures will be put on a database to bar them, in a move that is being called ‘civil exclusion’.
Manager of the Arndale Centre in Manchester has defended the move after parts of the city were badly damaged in the recent violence.
“Any scheme that can stop work of the villains and criminals I saw on Tuesday night must be a view we support.
“Unusually hard punishments on parents for the sins of their sons and daughters are in tune with the public shock and anger,” he said.
Setting a good example
Despite not attending riots, mother-of-two Ursula Nevin was jailed for five months for accepting a pair of shorts her flatmate stole.
The judge said as a role model to her sons she should have refused to take the stolen item.