• 'My brother is no street rat' says youth in burning car case

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Who is prepared to do something?

- Peter Consterdine, UK

Catherine, Europe- Errr, yes, I know, that is kind of what I was getting at.

- Nj, London

Didn't Britain have some charter law that was unpopular with its citizens in the 19th century who took to the streets to protest & riot and emerged on Parliament?
Why can't we do that now, after all we see and hear with this incapable govt?

- Catherine, Europe

It was drummed into me as a child: treat people as you would like to be treated. Whilst I do not believe that parents are responsible for their child's actions, they do have a duty to teach them right from wrong, and not to pick on others less fortunate than themselves. These feral children presumably lived somewhere. Why were they allowed to roam the streets at 2.30am? Manners do not cost anything, and there are plenty of others in socially deprived areas who do not act like this. That being said, we know there is a small element of feckless parents who do not keep their children in check, and they should be prosecuted. If they cannot control their children, remove the little thugs to secure accomodation.

Finally, Leicestershire Police should hang it's head in shame for trying to hide behind the Council. The police should do the job we are paying them to do. Keep law and order on the streets. Enough is enough.

- Sonia M,, St Albans, Herts

Monsieur nj from London, France has had riots in recent years, remember, they lasted for days and cars were burned. All over the world there is some sort of social unrest, unfortunately.
Last year it was Greece's turn, just before Xmas, when a teenage boy was shot by police, which sparked a long line of rioting by various hoodlums.

- Catherine, Europe

If the goverment listened to the public they would have known about this.Crime is out of control,prison has become a holiday camp and justice has been put to sleep.Wake up you useless MPs,bring the ex New York leader to run the police force.

- Dave, london

Its yet another wake up call to how stupidly and disgustingly lenient this country is towards such criminal scum.

- Vivek, London

This was terrible - I listened to the apology from the Chief Constable and I was not re-assured. His apology appeared to be long on buzz words, talk of partners, etc, but I did not hear too much about what went wrong, why had the Police not intervened, not too much on what will happen in the future. I also heard a report stating that low level harassment was the responsibility of the Council. I was incredulous. Again, much of the blame lies with this government – a target culture, rights given to all and sundry without responsibility. Far too often, when responsible people try and confront thugs, they end up being arrested. The balance of law is too heavily weighted in favour of the criminal not the victim.

- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties

I was brought up in the mining village of Boreland in Fife. I had 2 club feet and so had mobility problems and stood out. The children were so spportive and treated me as a normal person. My Dad was the Headmaster of the Primary School in the village and my brothers and I would with today's twisted values be regarded as "toffs". Far from it we lived there and were therefor part of the village. I received a natural kindness and total respect. If I was struggling the children were there for me. Please note these are children nor "kids".These were Miner's children and Miners look out for each other. A trait that is now totally alien to today's culture.
I look back on my childhood there as one of the high points of my life and will never forget the kindness shown by everyone there. When my father died you could not get into the Crematorium because it was packed by my Dad's former pupils and their parent's. It is called community spirit but then in those days we did not have to rely on the Police and justice was meted out by the village without fear of the Police descending to enforce the Human Rights of wrongdoers. We were not all angels by any means but lived with each other as good friends and neighbours.
The difference this happened nearly 60 years ago and you will be told you cannot compare it. Why ever not?

- Aylyn, 03189 Orihuela Costa

"Just the sort of products of the UK's social housing and benefit system I moved to France to avoid- David Williams, bordeaux france" Yep France never has any problems on it's housing estates does it. I mean, who ever heard of large scale social unrest or rioting in France for example!

- Nj, London

I don't want another stupid scheme like ASBOS - we want some tough measures. Instead of these youths mocking the judicial system and innocent people being hounded to death. There are far too many people living in fear.

- Jk, London

It's all too late I'm afraid. -It started when teachers were no longer allowed to discipline badly behaved children in schools, and ended when Gov'ts encouraged indiscriminate child breeding among the socially disfunctional by financial rewards, but no parental liability! -As others have said, -Anyone who wasn't half asleep could have seen this coming years ago!

- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland

What I want to know is did all the other neighbours keep quiet and do nothing. Not wishing to defend the police who have cocked up majorily here - but if we all keep turning our back then this will get worse- and before the emails about "its too much of a risk" - you know what no its no. We all have a responsibility to take responsibility and these appalling people are still in the minority - none of the articles say about lots of other people making complaints -we suffer from a huge case of "if its not me - leave it be" - well this is the consequence.

- Jc, se1

There are many decent people who have to put up with situations like this, myself included. I have awful problems with youths making a nuisance of themselves, throwing missiles at windows, making horrendous noise, graffiti and criminal damage. The police could do more but don't. It's just what I need after a day working in London to go home to that every evening! These lads are untouchable and they know it. What this government and the police fail to realise is that if they don't nip anti social behaviour in the bud, these yobs go on to bigger and better things in the crime system. I'd throw them in a deep hole and let them starve to death, like they used to do in Scotland in medieval times. They make no contribution to society whatsoever.

- Sue, Orpington, Kent

The parents of these criminals have a lot to account for to my mind! Put these kids in the Army so they can at least learn respect and discipline. Our country is in serious need of change! I never witnessed crimes like this in my childhood and I grew up in the East End of London to a working class family and was given a crap education! I have worked damn hard to improve myself and my life and I don't think its fair that ignorant and lazy beings should be allowed destroy the country that I live in and love.

- Ashley Smithson, st albans

Just the sort of products of the UK's social housing and benefit system I moved to France to avoid.

- David Williams, bordeaux france

OLIVIA DAVISON is owed a debt of gratitude by this country. She's the fearless deputy Coroner of Rutland and North Leicester who refused to let police and local council officials push the Pilkington family case details under the carpet. She and the special measures she has taken in investigating this tragedy, has unearthed the depths of the anti social behaviour the family went through. Magnify this several times over to get to grips with the knowledge of what's happening in estates up and down the country.

Olivia Devison has seen Fiona and Frankie Pilkington right. What has been revealed may set a course against tacitly accepting anti social and thuggish behaviour by those who have no place among decent people. She did her job and did it thoroughly to the best of her ability. Not for honours, for justice. The country salutes her for doing so, and she above many will deserve any honours that come her way. Come her way they should, to encourage others to take responsibility seriously. We need more like her.

- James, London

Today it emerged that police simply asked hooligans to write “letters of apology” to their victims instead of taking them to court.

What? How about hounding all the hooligans up & give them a public flogging. They boast about it, then do it again.
No more softly softly approach, go in hard.

- Dom, London

>>was a “wake-up call” for tackling anti-social behaviour

Yes, the socialist, meddling, authorities have been sleeping on the job for the past 25 years.

- Peter, Harrow, UK

Off course it’s easy to blame the current government for these problems, but it’s far to simplistic. Back in 1990 an academic called Charles Murray wrote a groundbreaking paper about the emergence of a British underclass, in which he predicted that in 10 to 20 years a new generation, many with addiction problems and low levels of education; brought up in violent & dysfunctional families would emerge, but (as always) the middle classes would only sit up and take any notice when it effected them directly through increased crime and anti-social behaviour. The thing is these problems don’t emerge overnight, or even within ten years of a labour government, it goes back to the 1980’s. The UK had the narrowest gap between rich and poor in 1979, since then it’s reversed and grows wider every year. Trying to reduce it is politically unpopular as it means increasing taxes and is perceived by many as wasting their tax money on the feckless poor. So… you want less taxes, you want small government, you want an unhindered free market economy with lots of cheap goods and cheap credit to buy them, but you don’t want to deal with the inequity this causes in our society and the problems that causes, the disenfranchised poor who are left on the outside and threaten you comfortable life through though venting their frustrations through criminality. Doesn’t life just suck?

- Nj, London

What on earth were the Leicestershire Police and the Local authority doing? These deaths are a direct result of their inaction and it is an oft quoted cliché, but heads really must roll in this case - no quiet early retirements, nothing less than a full disciplinary enquiry and prosecutions where deserved will do.

- Carl, London

The blame lies entirely with the government who have shown no brevity in challenging dumbed down TV (that Brown so loves) nor crime. We cannot revolt because we will be arrested and charged with terrorism. Dystopia is not on the horizon, we are living it.

How many ES readers are now feeling 'frightened' living in their own country? Not (just) frightened of criminals, but of the current government?

- Oflife, Oxford & London

The full horror of the Pilkington family's ordeal is reported the same week that a woman guest in a B&B is taking the owners to court for HURT FEELINGS! She was staying there while undergoing treatment for a neuraligical disease. On the last day she wore her hijab, and when the owners made some comments about Islam, she (oversensitive about wearing her hijab before, and no doubt under stress and pressures from her treatment)clearly all too readily took "offense". This incident has recieved the full works. Police intervention and the owners being hauled to court to face charges. The full majesty of the law behind a one off case of bruised feelings! Contrast this with the very real damage and trauma faced on a daily basis by the Pilkington's.

British justice. Where? It's got a lot of explaining to do.

- Sarah, London

Anti Social Britain

- Mr S.Port, London

So Mr Alan Johnson says this case is a exception,well phewe,im sure we can all recollect similar cases,its not the first and it wont be the last,because we have a government of appeasers,criminal appeasers who by there cowardice have shown they are fit for nothing,we have a police force that is lazy and demotivated,and have on numerous occasions admitted they can not protect us,yet if we take steps to protect are selves we will be subject to the full force of the law.I have a right to protect my possessions,myself and my family and friends,and i demand that laws be put in place for me to do this with out fear of prosecution.And i bet the scum families who harassed this family to death under the eyes of the authorities are still tenants in there homes,do something now Mr Johnson,evict those families and jail them all,do it know and show us your resolve,or is it just more mealy mouth words from a sad and spineless government.

- Kev, London-UK

This Government has presided over a police force who they hound to keep up with paperwork and administration rather than have them policing the streets. One of the key elements of maintaining law and order was that car and foot patrols were regularly visible. With that gone, our sreets and open spaces are not comfortable to be in. They are now places for the snap opportunist, the ferral, the mugger and the anti social who openly prey on people undeterred.

It has now just come out that Fiona Pilkington and her family were literally terrified to death. For over 10 years they really suffered at the hands of those in their neighbourhood who made their lives unbearable. The police did nothing. Part of this shameful and horrifying saga was the family's prolonged helplessness. One of the taunts that reverberates most, was when one of the thugs shouted at her, "and you can't do anything". They knew, for ten years, that they could do what they wanted - and that no one on this earth was going to stop them.

- J Bennett, Reading

I think the shame is, Mr Johnson, that you feel you needed a wake up call.

- Rob, London

This is a wake-up call for all of us.
The question must be who do we report the bullying and abuse of a person to in order to get the IDENTIFIED bullies stopped from doing what they do?
Many of us who have had to report the 'seen' abuse of children have experienced being treated like Fiona.
We have, in many cases, been 'deemed' hysterical and overreacting ETC by the very 'authories' we had to make our child abuse report to.
We are very familiar with the 'No one else shares your concerns' mantra as trotted out by the SS.
We are very well versed in further injuries on the children being 'deemed' as 'injuries of the self-inflicted kind'
Like Fiona we know how hard it is to get the responsible authorites to take abuse reports seriously or to take any action which will put a stop to it.
Fiona was NEGLECTED to be protected because no one in authority took responsiblity for her case or explored her situation in any depth, within a MULTI-AGENCY way of working which is not working at all.

- Darnthesafetynet, London W11 1NR

As they say, what goes around comes around!

- Dc, London

How about we stop calling it "anti-social" behaviour. Anti-social behaviour is farting in a lift, or burping at the dinner table. This is criminal behaviour. Deal with this as one would any crime, threat or attack. Anti-social ASBOs are a medal of honour for too many. Face facts. Criminalise bad behaviour.

- Ed S, HK S.A.R, formerly London, UK

Wake up call? They should have woken up a decade ago.

We must have the worst politicians in the history of the
world!

- Simon, E14

Dear God, Alan Johnson and the rest of "New Labour" have had over ten years to get to grips with the problem of feral families and so far all they've managed to do is reward them and bribe them into voting for the party of hand outs. How many wake up calls do they need ?

- Cratchet, HLC, NOT SO SUNNY LINCOLNSHIRE.

All this government ever does in these matters is to make wake up calls and say lessons will be learned. Have they not noticed that the agencies involve are keen to blame their partner agencies but reluctant to accept blame themselves. This is typical of the politically correct, but totally inept public services that are looking after our interests. It doesn't matter whether it's the police, social services et al, they and their partner agencies muddle along discussing issues, but they never grasp the nettle and claim ownership, prefering to leave that to someone else.
Can someone get a grip and make a decission!!!!

- Alan, carlisle uk

Fiona Pilkington and Frankie - I hope you are at peace now.
To the "Feral Kids and Parents" of Barwell, Leicestershire go to HELL that is where you belong. You have all given your home town a bad name.

- Sue Emmerson, Harrogate, N. Yorks.

There are no excuses - Labour introduced ASBO's to stop this sort of problem and clearly failed as ASBO's are a rite of passage for many youths.

Clearly the only deterrent now is hard punishment of the child by reducing the punishment age to 9 or 10, tough stuff – not pickling up litter or having ‘meaningful discussions’. Parents should also be punished, by jail and hard community service, braking rocks would be far too good for them.

However, all of the above depends on (1) the police doing their job properly and not abrogating their policing responsibilities to the soft, left-wing, middle class, do-gooders who form the bulk of local authorities who would want to give an offender a cuddle and strongly persecute a victim who tries to get much needed help and then brand them as a 'time waster'

Vote Labour - don't make me laugh - clear this scum out from the town halls as well and restore England as a nation worth living in.

- James, City of London

So since '96 you have all been sleeping..........Is it me or does our current government appear to populated by people who have an excuse for everything and take reponsibility for nothing. It was Blair who introduced the concept of no Ministerial responsibility - perhaps if a few more politicians had gone (and stayed gone) we would not have such a corrosive social decline today. I mean if ministers and MPs will not behave with dignity and probity then its no surprise that the decline becomes more general in society. Another debit in the growing burden of failures that is the current regime.

- Christian Ball, London, UK

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