'Youth fired at me' (From Gazette Series)

'Youth fired at me'

A DIRE lack of police presence has been blamed for the escalating problem with nuisance youths in Wotton-under-Edge town centre.

One Wotton town and Stroud district councillor has called for urgent action following a recent incident in which he claims he was shot at.

Cllr Paul Smith told Monday's meeting of Wotton Town Council he could have been seriously injured after a youth fired at him with what he believes was a ball-bearing gun.

"I really do think these youths have upped the anti now they are using weapons," he said. "I am very surprised this incident was not taken more seriously by police."

The incident happened after he chased a group of around 20 youths who had been causing a disturbance during a guitar rectal in The Chipping Hall on Friday, February 8.

He stated: "There was a group of youths banging on the windows and just before the end of the concert one of them fired a paint ball into the hall." Cllr Smith said he was chasing the youths, aged 12-18, along Rope Walk when one turned and fired at him.

"I felt something whizz past my face," he said. "If it had hit me, I believe I could have been seriously injured or even killed."

Cllr Smith said he was surprised with the lack of police response.

"I am concerned that it was not taken more seriously," he said. "A major worry is that, if these youths think they can get away with carrying weapons, more of them are going to get tooled up."

Until now groups of young people had just been a nuisance. "It has gone beyond that now," he said. "There really does need to be a bigger police presence. We hardly ever see them around the town."

Gordon Phillips, who organised the concert in The Chipping Hall, said events were often disturbed by gangs of youths.

"It is annoying and very disruptive for the people who have paid good money to enjoy a nice evening," he said. "It is quite worrying that there is a small element of the community that seems to be intent on ruining these type of events for everybody else."

Mr Phillips echoed Cllr Smith's call for more intense policing of the town centre.

"I was surprised that the police are not taking this incident more seriously," he added. "I do think there needs to be a stronger police presence."

Dursley's police chief, Insp Paul Donovan, said the incident was taken seriously and officers attended when it was reported an hour after it happened.

"Our officers checked the area and found no damage," he added. "A gang of youths was later checked out and a potato gun was found."

Insp Donovan explained officers are often called away from scheduled patrols to deal with specific incidents.

"We do have extra staff working during Friday and Saturday peak times," he added. "During these times a lot of incidents are reported and officers often do have stop patrols to attend these incidents."