Police locate offenders in relation to anti-social behaviour at Poole Farm
Police officers in Crownhill have successfully located offenders in connection with a spate of anti-social behaviour at Poole Farm, near Leigham. Poole Farm is a community farm which is funded by Plymouth City Council. It is an important facility for the local community, which supports local people with their wellbeing and provides a unique environment for children and young people to learn more about nature.
Recently the farm has been subjected to different incidents of anti-social behaviour, including fencing being ripped down, damage to entrances, graffiti on benches, tools being moved from storage sheds, and littering. Further serious incidents of anti-social behaviour that have been reported to the police include drug paraphernalia being discarded at the farm, and an alleged arson to a tent.
PC Sarah Hill said: “All of the anti-social behaviour that Poole Farm has been subject to over recent weeks has had a significant negative impact on the staff that work at the farm, the animals in their care, and members of the community who visit this fantastic facility.”
Images of the damage sustained at Poole Farm
PC Hill added: “We are pleased that our enquiries have led to us successfully identifying and locating the offenders. Due to the age of the offenders, they will each be taking part in a restorative justice programme with Poole Farm, to enable them to take accountability for their actions and understand the upset and distress their behaviour has caused to both the organisation and the local community.”
“Restorative justice allows offenders to acknowledge their actions and put their behaviour right, by spending time with the victim and understanding the negative consequences of their actions first-hand. The group of young people who have been involved with this incident have been invited to Poole Farm to learn from their actions and give something positive back to the organisation. Following this, if those individuals decide to reoffend, they risk receiving harsher punishments, and a criminal record. A criminal record can significantly reduce an individual’s opportunities, such as employment, higher education, and overseas travel.”
Anti-social behaviour has been impacting the organisation financially, as they have had to replace and repair broken fencing panels, which is time-consuming and requires costly materials. The team have had to spend time fixing and tidying the damage left behind which has reduced the time they can spend with the local community, including children and young families. The resident wildlife and animals have also been negatively impacted as a result of this anti-social behaviour, particularly the beaver population which is sensitive to disturbance. The organisation fears the disruption caused by suspects is highly likely to cause the beaver conservation project to suffer, and potentially fail.
PC Hill continued: “We will continue to support Poole Farm by sharing crime prevention advice to prevent further anti-social behaviour from taking place and carrying out regular patrols of the area. We take reports of this nature very seriously and encourage members of the community to continue reporting any instances of anti-social behaviour to us so we can bring offenders to justice.”
If you have any concerns regarding anti-social behaviour in your area, please report this to us via 101, our website, or by calling 999 in an emergency. To keep up to date with the local policing team in Crownhill, follow ‘Plympton Police’ or ‘Plymouth North Police’ on Facebook, or sign up to Devon & Cornwall Alert for updates to be sent directly to your email inbox!
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