Residents powerless to remove immigrants squatting in their back gardens, page 1

Sometimes you read something that you don't know what to make of. I've just read this with my jaw on the floor.

This article is seriously saying that at least half a dozen residents of Peterborough have illegal immigrants squatting in their back gardens and sheds.

That's the gardens of the houses they are living in.

I'm not an unsympathetic person and it's troubling to think that the immigrants are so desperate, but really I think this is going too far.

If we must have this 'open door' policy then someone, somewhere has to take responsibility for people who find they cannot look after themselves properly once they've arrived. It shouldn't be left to householders to (unwillingly) provide space in their gardens for immigrants, illegal or otherwise, to camp.

www.dailymail.co.uk...

At first sight, the piles of rubbish and debris strewn across this garden make it look just like a rubbish tip.
But on closer inspection, it is revealed to be a makeshift camp for desperate Eastern European immigrants.
Around a dozen are camping out in residents' gardens, sheds and even their trees as they cannot afford their own homes.
Those who live in the street in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, have been told they are powerless to remove the trespassers taking shelter on their land.

Groups of immigrants have moved into the gardens of at least six properties since November last year, leaving a trail of cider bottles, bags of human waste and drugs needles behind them.
Though homeowners have appealed for help, the police and council say they cannot arrest the trespassers - who have no passports and are mostly from Eastern Europe - because they claim it is a civil, not a criminal matter.
The immigrants gained access to the land through an open alleyway and sleep on dirty mattresses, using rolled-up blankets as pillows.
Ian Treasure, 41, one of the homeowners affected by the camps, said a man named Joseph from the Czech Republic was living in his garden coal shed.

Despite six phone calls to Peterborough City Council pleading with them to evict the immigrants and remove the mountains of dumped rubbish, he could not get the man to leave.
Mr Treasure said: 'The area has become overrun. It is disgusting and the worst thing is that nobody is doing anything about it. Every day it gets worse.
'It all started in November. I was looking out of the window and I saw a mattress in my coal shed. I went out and it turned out I had a lodger there.
'I'm not sure how many there are because I try to stay away from them but I'm fed up because they regularly drink in our gardens and take drugs.'
Mr Treasure said he had asked the man, who speaks broken English and has scabs on his face, to leave dozens of times.
'The angriest I have got was the first time I saw drug needles there in January. I freaked out,' he said.
Mr Treasure added that he was incredibly frustrated that the council and police had done nothing to help him.
He added: 'The police's hands are tied. All they can do is just move them on and then they would be back so it would be a waste of time.'
Ricky Smith, 23, attempted to remove the squatter in his shed after catching him defecating on his lawn on Wednesday night.
He said: 'I slung all his belongings into a pile and told him to get out. I haven't seen him since so hopefully he has got the message.
'I caught him defecating on my lawn, where my dog plays. I had to build a fence to keep him out of that part of the garden so my dog doesn't get ill playing in his mess.'
A spokesman for Cambridgeshire police said that the makeshift camps were not a criminal matter.
He said: 'Anybody is allowed to use reasonable force to stop people trespassing and get them off their property - much like a bouncer in a pub or club.
'If there is some sort of confrontation then we can step in and prevent a breach of the peace, but we cannot act directly against the trespassers.'
A spokesman for Peterborough council said: 'We are aware of a number of people who are sleeping in these gardens.
'We will be working to help them access the services which are available to them.'
Peterborough's MP Stewart Jackson today said Labour had failed to deal with immigration problems that have led to jobless migrants camping in British gardens.
The Tory MP said: 'The Labour government was warned that uncontrolled immigration would cause these sorts of problems.
'They have ignored Peterborough's needs and local taxpayers have been forced to foot the bill for their foolish and misguided policies.'

This part of the article made me do a bit of a double take:

He said: 'Anybody is allowed to use reasonable force to stop people trespassing and get them off their property - much like a bouncer in a pub or club.

If ever there was a recipe for disaster...

[edit on 19-3-2010 by berenike]

reply to post by captaintyinknots

---

I find myself caught between outrage on behalf of the householders, anger that our government and local authorities can allow this to happen and pity for the desperate people who think they have nowhere else to go.

Originally posted by berenike
reply to post by captaintyinknots

---

I find myself caught between outrage on behalf of the householders, anger that our government and local authorities can allow this to happen and pity for the desperate people who think they have nowhere else to go.

I absolutely can see it from both sides. However, being destitute and desperate does not give someone the right to infringe upon my freedom. I try my best to help others, but the minute you start trying to take from me to provide for you, we are enemies.

Also, there is ALWAYS somewhere else to go-they choose that particular spot because there is food, water and other amenities that they can take advantage of.

reply to post by berenike

---

I see where you're coming from, and i agree to an extent..up to a point.

If it were my home, i wouldn't know what sort of people they were..i have a family to think of...the bottom line for me would be if the council or police wouldn't move them, i would.

Being illegal immigrants, are they not subject to arrest and deportation anyway?

How can an 'illegal' have squatters rights?

reply to post by CodenameDoeB

---

I know what you mean, to be honest, where i grew up in South London, they wouldn't have lasted a day.

As soon as they were discovered, they'd have been...ahem...shown the way out straight away. Most would probably have a nice comfy trolly in the local hospital for a few days too, if they didn't want to go.

reply to post by Frogs

---

Who knows mate, it's getting more and more screwed up everyday.

Reading this though, it seems that way doesn't it!

reply to post by spikey

---

I only agree with myself up to a point

It's a horrifying problem for a householder to have to confront. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

reply to post by Frogs

---

I don't know about the lobby, but you might get away with sleeping on the front lawn - not.

I'd guess it's one law for the Ritz and another for the poor householder.

reply to post by _Phoenix_

---

I've had a good look, but the Daily Mail seems to be the source of the story. Other sites carrying it just quote the Mail article.

The Cambridgeshire Police and Peterborough Council were quoted. I took it seriously since neither of them denied it.

It's particularly worrying that the police could not get involved unless there was an actual confrontation. (I'm thinking of cases where householders have found themselves in trouble for dealing with burglars a little too enthusiastically).

Even if it turned out that there were no squatters after all, what this article tells us is that should we ever find one in our gardens we cannot expect any help in removing them - unless things get out of hand.



[edit on 19-3-2010 by berenike]

There are places on the US side of the border that the same thing happens.

And in Calif if you run them off they get a Hispanic immigrants legal group to sue you. they seldom win but they will cost you a lot of money.

news.google.com...,3791761
articles.sfgate.com...
www.time.com...

The police won't help you if you and your children are being harassed, either, even if your life is in danger and it leads the person being harassed to kill herself and her daughter.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Pretty sad stories all around. As for the law being different for the public than it is for the corporation, well, duh, what do you expect? In our lifetimes has it ever been any different?

Alaska: Samantha Koenig Kidnapped last week.
  Posted 1 days ago with 103 member flags

Blue Spheres Fall from the Sky in the UK
  Posted 13 days ago with 81 member flags

Strange Sounds in Sky Explained by Scientists
  Posted 10 days ago with 59 member flags

She Dialed 911. The Cop Who Came to Help Raped Her.
  Posted 3 days ago with 49 member flags

Anonymous: Revealing The Arcane Legal Trick Behind ACTA
  Posted 10 days ago with 42 member flags

The Chinese have seen the dragon in the sky !!
  Posted 1 days ago with 36 member flags

NDAA Nullification: Tennessee Bills Propose Kidnapping Charges for Federal Agents
  Posted 1 days ago with 35 member flags

Anonymous reveals Haditha massacre emails | RT
  Posted 5 days ago with 33 member flags

Newest topics, updated in real-time:

Newest topics getting flags, in real-time:

Newest topics getting replies, in real-time: