Teenagers help to clean up their own graffiti

Five teenagers took part in a community clean-up in North Ascot this weekend after being arrested in connection with a spate of graffiti in the local area.

Neighbourhood officer PC Julia Winmill said: “North Ascot has never really had a graffiti problem, but in the early part of this year I noticed that incidents of graffiti in the area had escalated.

“I started to investigate and was eventually able to identify the offenders from the ‘tags’ they used. On 31 March, five boys aged 14 and 15, all from the North Ascot, Ascot and Sunningdale area, were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in relation to a total of around 35 offences.”

All five received final warnings, and also attended a restorative justice (RJ) conference on 26 April, accompanied by their parents. The boys discussed the impact of their actions with a number of victims, together with PC Winmill, RJ facilitators Helene Sentkovsky and Jan Collins, and a member of Bracknell Forest Borough Council Environmental Services department.

“At the end of the meeting, I suggested that we hold a community clean-up day,” said PC Winmill. “Everyone liked the idea – the boys, their parents and the victims – and I spoke later to other members of the community who were keen to get involved.

“The council’s street cleansing department, together with a specialist company, Community Clean, were very helpful to me in setting up the event.”

The community clean-up day took place on Saturday 12 May, starting at 10am. The five boys, together with PC Winmill, staff from Community Clean and members of the local community met at Elliot Rise play park and spent the day cleaning off graffiti and painting the targeted fences.

PC Winmill said: “The people of North Ascot take great pride in their homes and surroundings, and this spate of graffiti had a huge impact on the community. What young people often don’t realise is that graffiti blights an area and can increase the fear of crime, particularly amongst elderly residents.

“The sanctions we have taken against the boys send out a clear message that I will not tolerate graffiti and other acts of vandalism in the North Ascot area. After all the hard work involved in cleaning up the damage, I hope the youngsters understand the consequences of their actions and that this sort of thing will not happen again.

She added: “I know, having spoken to some of them over the weekend, that they were completely unaware of how their actions might affect others so much.”

A/Ch Insp Simon Bowden, Commander of Bracknell Forest local police area, said: “This case is an excellent example of neighbourhood policing in action. Various local organisations and members of the public worked with police to help identify the offenders; conduct the RJ conference and assist with the clean-up.

“This integrated response has involved all sections of the community and demonstrates how neighbourhood policing can provide practical solutions to local problems.

“Thames Valley Police will not tolerate antisocial behaviour. I urge communities to work with us in dealing with all levels of crime and disorder. Local people are our eyes and ears – don’t fear crime – beat it.”

Jon Freer, Assistant Director of Environment and Leisure, said: "Graffiti not only makes a place look very unattractive it can also encourage crime and make people feel unsafe. 

"Fortunately we do not have a huge graffiti problem in Bracknell Forest but this mindless vandalism will not be tolerated by the Council and we will work with the police to ensure that anyone who is spoiling the borough by spraying graffiti is caught and reprimanded for their actions.

"I hope the youngsters involved in the clean-up on Saturday now think twice before picking up a spray can as this anti-social behaviour really is unacceptable."