PARENTS have been urged to take more responsibility for their children’s behaviour following increasing reports of anti-social behaviour and vandalism from residents right across the county, including Enniskillen and Maguiresbridge.
In the most recent incident damage was caused to a spout at Enniskillen Health Centre, and police have confirmed they have received reports of young people drinking at night at the centre and at the new college site nearby.
In a direct appeal to parents on social media, Fermanagh PSNI warned that the young people’s actions could have lasting consequences for them if they were caught.
“Do you know where your child is tonight?” a spokesman asked. “We’re getting increased reports of youths drinking at the health centre and around the new South West College site. If your child is there and getting in trouble they could have a criminal record by Christmas.”
Posting a picture to damage caused to the Enniskillen Health Centre, they added: “Who exactly is benefiting? An important place in our community is being mindlessly vandalised.”
The incidents are just the lastest in a series of reports of antisocial behaviour across Fermanagh in recent weeks.
Last week Frazers Nisra in Maguiresbridge announced it had been forced to begin closing its sit-down area after 5pm “due to anti-social beahviour and theft.” In a social media post the store apologised to cusotmers for any inconvenience and said “we have been left with no other option.”
As reported in the Herald earlier this month, the toilet block at Breandrum Cemetery has been closed to repair damage caused by fireworks that police said were let off by young people. Meanwhile residents in Belleek were being left afraid in their own homes due to anti-social beahviour in the border village.
After the incidents were reported, readers told the Herald on social media similar things were happening elsewhere, such as in Newtownbutler.
With many stating “boredom is not an excuse”, the majority of readers called on parents to take more responsibility.
“What you can do is make parents go back to old fashioned values and make sure they are in the house by 9pm at the latest,” said Frankie Dean, for example.
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