NEWBIE, or sort of?

frankie · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 11

Hi every one this is my first post, but before commenting I will introduce myself and the reason we are no longer there. I am Frankie, I moved from the Island about 5 years ago with my family, Not because we did not like the Island, far from it. To cut a really long story short, my wife and I went to court for your council as witnesses against a pretty fearsome couple of characters. Because of our statements and attendance along with five other families, the Isle of Wight council were granted ASBOS against the two women and they were also banned from the area for 5 years where we lived. However, every other family who attended for the council where moved for their own safety and to deter against further attacks. One young mother was attacked in her home with her six month old babe in arms by both of the defendants. The same two barged into our home to attack my then 8 year old son, these two were grown women with children of their own, unfortunately for them, I was in the back kitchen washing up and ejected them as quickly as I could. We of course telephoned the police and they were arrested. council officials approached us and asked if we would go to court for them against these two individuals. We of course agreed, but living within the circle of these two friends and associates brought misery and unbearable circumstances upon us, which eventually made us flee for our safety from the Island. Our children were constantly bullied, our car was vandalised, our boat smashed beyond repair, our widows smashed, graffiti on our walls, dog dirt posted through our letter box, my wife was attacked on three occasions. I begged the council to move us, but they insisted that there was not a problem, despite numerous police complaints, in which one individual was charged with assault along with her children for spraying bleach in our children's eyes, even with hospital reports our plea for help fell on deaf ears. Even to this day I ask my self why all the other witnesses were moved but not us? The final threat of being petrol bombed, was the last straw, I could not put my families lives at risk, so we fled, literally for our lives. You would think that this would put an end to our troubles, think again because when we reached our chosen destination, we could not apply for a council house because the IOW council said that our house was still available to us, so we intentionally made ourselves homeless Shocked

We loved the Island, fishing, fresh clean air, the people who could always stop and have a chat, we wanted the best for our kids and to grow old in probably the prettiest part of England you will ever find.
Everyone asks the same question, why did we move from such a lovely place? when people visit, they only see what they have paid to see, like every place the Island harbours its fair share of undesirables. I remember going to a new residents home to do a repair and she was shocked at what she found behind the beautiful scenery, and wished she had never sold up to move over, never mind when she gets old we, sorry you have the best elderly care in the country, my wife worked at a few elderly homes over there, and again was shocked at what she found at some of them, so much so she gave up caring in care homes and concentrated on one to one care. We still have some good friends on the Island, you the people of the Island are second to none good down to earth people. Unfortunately when our home was sold, we had to make way for the new landlord to split our home to make two flats. The council of course did re home us, but we had no choice, it was what they offered or the prom. I refused to be bullied and stood my ground as long as I could against the small fraction of violent people who thought they were above the law and could do as they pleased, take and sell drugs, terrorise, manipulate and abuse. Well thanks to technology I can still read the county press, listen to Isle of Wight radio. We brought our children through the trauma and we are proud of their success, two have now left school, but two still go, they miss the good friends they had, but life has a funny way of changing. you the people of the Island are great, I wish I could say the same about the officials who were in charge at the time we needed them, they failed us, more important, they took our children's childhood away. But hey we are strong our kids love us, and by us going to court for the council we did a lot of good for the small neighbourhood that was terrorised by these two atrocious women, I only hope that their children have not followed in their mothers footsteps?
I apologize if I have shattered some peoples view of the Island, but this was our experience, I just wish I had never attended court for Medina and the council.

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EinsteinsGhost · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 92 Location: Ryde

Hi Frankie,

What a sad and dreadful story, I hardly know what to say.
My girlfriend and I currently live in London and hope to move to the Island soon for a differnet way of life. In London, your story would hardly make the headlines and in part that's why we want to move. That said, we are not naieve, and have never thought living on the island would be some sort of utopia. It must be awful to be forced (essentially) to leave a place you loved beacuase of the actions of so few people and not be supported by the 'poweres that be'. I hope you feel able to return one day. Are the people involved still living on the IOW?

frankie · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 11

Hi, yes I am afraid they are. after coming out out of prison she returned, and friends we still keep in touch with who know the family reliably told us that not a blind bit of notice was taken regarding the ASBO and restraint order keeping them out of the area, the order was to stay out of the area for five years? Quite a long time by any standards, but the council and Medina officials at that time took no notice of them returning. This I know because friends we still have over there reported them at the time but nothing was done, just as it was when we cried for help.
We actually approached a legal team where we live now, regarding suing the Isle of Wight council and Medina Housing association for negligence. we have all the proof we need to back up every word as they well know. An apology would have been suffice, but then they would be admitting fault, they used us for a very dangerous case they took against these individuals then discarded us as you would dog mess on your shoe.
I am quite sure that quite a few employees of the council and MHA will have read this, I think you owe us an apology are you prepared to do the right thing, after all you destroyed our lives, and we are still trying to pick up the pieces.

EinsteinsGhost · Joined: 20 Jun 2008 Posts: 92 Location: Ryde

Have you condidered contacting the IOW County Press? They may be interested in your story.

frankie · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 11

Part and parcel mate, its a very small Island, a national paper would certainly be very interested. In fact that's a very good idea and something worth thinking about, because we should have never have been subjected to the atrocities we endured, and compensation should be considered, because after all if it were one of the hierarchy who had suffered the way we did it would have been stopped before it had started because they do look after their own, If you move to the Island your called an Ovener, if you have plenty of money and move to say Seaview you are left well alone, but run out of money and approach for help, then that is a different matter. I will approach a few nationals and see what they think, We even made4 the headlines where we are now because we were homeless due to MHA brushing everything under the table as if it were our fault, they fail to remember it were they who put my family in danger after appearing in court for them

Robj · Joined: 26 Feb 2009 Posts: 53

Hi Frankie
Yes it is a terrible story and one which I can empathise with. Having a family like that living close is something that I am all too familiar with. In our case the problem has been solved with the family being evicted but I am so sorry you were forced to move from the island.

Councils all over the country are the same. They say they are against anti social behaviour but it usually takes something tragic to happen before they act. I suspect its something to do with "human rights" the only trouble with that is most of these people are not human !

Its true that the tourist industry on the island only points you in the direction of the good things and if you were to walk the back streets of Ryde, Shanklin and all the other larger towns late at night you would see a different story but it is the same over the whole country and you have to weigh up the good things against the bad.

I wish you well and please keep us updated with any actions you may take over this.
Rob

frankie · Joined: 12 Apr 2009 Posts: 11

Thanks for those kind words Wink