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Published: 09 June 2011
by RICHARD OSLEY

LATE-NIGHT trouble involving teenagers is flaring up on a mazy council estate full of perfect hiding places, leaving residents feeling intimidated and helpless to do anything about it.

Warm evenings have seen Oakshott Court in Polygon Road, in Somers Town, become the scene of an after-dark game of cat and mouse between police patrols and a small but noisy group of youngsters who gather on its split-level walkways. 

The layout of the estate provides ideal places to flee to, such as under staircases, back gardens and in brick cubbyholes close to people’s homes. 

It makes it hard for CCTV cameras to track down troublemakers.

Tenants and leaseholders on the estate, immortalised in movie history for providing the setting for director Shane Meadows’ 2008 film Somers Town, say they are verbally abused as they walk home, while shouting outside keeps residents awake into the ­early hours. 

Like the characters in Meadows’ film, there are fears youngsters may not be strangers to alcohol, even though some are under age, and one resident has complained about the waft of cannabis smoke coming through their windows.

Residents who have asked the youths to keep quiet have been called “snitch” or had stones thrown at their windows.

When the area’s residents association asked police for help, they received an email warning that the ward’s Safer Neighbourhood Team was under strength. Police said they were in the midst of a recruitment process.

James Widdowson, chairman of the estate’s residents and tenants association, said youth disorder had been a problem on the estate before but the use of Asbos and patrols three years ago had calmed the problem  down. Now, he warned, it is back.

“It’s fine saying they will put up a CCTV camera but the kids know where it is and where they can’t be seen by it,” he said. 

“They know when the police are on their way. What we want on the estate is more reassurance from the council and the police. It begins at 9ish and can carry on into the early hours of the morning. When people have windows open in the hot weather, they have no chance of getting to sleep. They [youths] don’t want to go home, so they gather here.”

Residents fear that cuts to both police bud­gets and youth services will leave them with more headaches.

Labour community safety chief Councillor Abdul Hai said he was already aware of the issues on the estate and that movable CCTV cameras and interventions to help struggling youngsters would be considered.

But he warned: “There has been a lot of negative publicity about young people recently. People should concentrate as well on the young people who want to make a positive ­contribution to the community. 

“Where there is disorder, of course we will take action, but young people in Camden often don’t get a fair press. 

“It’s a small minority that cause trouble.”

A Camden police spokesman said: “Police are aware of the anti-social behaviour caused by some youngsters and targeted efforts are being reviewed to increase patrols by the St Pancras & Somers Town Safer Neighbourhoods Team, [SNT], and officers from the Special Constabulary during the evenings. Whilst there have been routine vacancies over a period of time, the SNT is currently recruiting another officer and with the Safer Schools Officer for that area also under the SNT’s line management, this will bring a total strength of four constables, which will provide greater flexi­bility and more res­ourced-focused patrols.

The spokesman said that police had knocked on every door on the 114-home estate, adding: “Various useful information and intelligence was gained from the door-to-door enquiries, one of which resulted in officers from the SNT executing a drugs warrant on the estate, resulting in the added benefit of reassuring the residents that prompt action will be taken when complaints are made.”