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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| 'Help young' call follows attack | 'Help young' call follows attack |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Councillors in a Swansea Valley town affected by anti-social behaviour have urged colleagues to listen to the young and avoid using them as "easy targets". | Councillors in a Swansea Valley town affected by anti-social behaviour have urged colleagues to listen to the young and avoid using them as "easy targets". |
| Dai Howells and Byron Lewis, from Pontarddulais, say only a small number of young people cause problems. | Dai Howells and Byron Lewis, from Pontarddulais, say only a small number of young people cause problems. |
| Local MP Martin Caton said a more "holistic approach" was needed, but also criticised parents for not exercising their responsibilities. | Local MP Martin Caton said a more "holistic approach" was needed, but also criticised parents for not exercising their responsibilities. |
| The spotlight fell on the town after an attack on resident Peter Matthews, 56. | The spotlight fell on the town after an attack on resident Peter Matthews, 56. |
| Mr Matthews is now recovering at home after he was left unconscious and bleeding in the street when trying to stop a gang of noisy youths outside his home. | Mr Matthews is now recovering at home after he was left unconscious and bleeding in the street when trying to stop a gang of noisy youths outside his home. |
| It's easy to attack young people and the police. Much harder is looking past the problems people have and trying to find out what can be done to turn our community around Councillors Dai Howells and Byron Lewis | It's easy to attack young people and the police. Much harder is looking past the problems people have and trying to find out what can be done to turn our community around Councillors Dai Howells and Byron Lewis |
| Around 250 people in Pontarddulais attended a public meeting along with police and town councillors on Wednesday to voice concerns about anti-social behaviour in the area. | Around 250 people in Pontarddulais attended a public meeting along with police and town councillors on Wednesday to voice concerns about anti-social behaviour in the area. |
| Mr Howells and Mr Lewis said it was wrong to label all young people as the same and urged fellow councillors to stop treating them "as easy political targets". | |
| The councillors, who are independents, said people could not criticise youths if they did not do anything to help them. | The councillors, who are independents, said people could not criticise youths if they did not do anything to help them. |
| Their plan to tackle anti-social behaviour includes calling meetings with young people to find out their wants and needs and creating a forum for youths. | Their plan to tackle anti-social behaviour includes calling meetings with young people to find out their wants and needs and creating a forum for youths. |
| They also want to work closely with police and others to start to "undo the opinion that all young people are bad". | They also want to work closely with police and others to start to "undo the opinion that all young people are bad". |
| "It's easy to attack young people and the police," they said in a joint statement. | "It's easy to attack young people and the police," they said in a joint statement. |
| "Much harder is looking past the problems people have and trying to find out what can be done to turn our community around." | "Much harder is looking past the problems people have and trying to find out what can be done to turn our community around." |
| If you talk to people in Pontarddulais, they will tell you that there are 13 and 14-year-olds hanging around off-licences getting young adults to buy liquor for them Martin Caton MP | If you talk to people in Pontarddulais, they will tell you that there are 13 and 14-year-olds hanging around off-licences getting young adults to buy liquor for them Martin Caton MP |
| Mr Caton, the Labour Gower MP whose constituency includes Pontarddulais, said anti-social behaviour in youths was fuelled by alcohol and drugs which were easier than ever for youngsters to access. | Mr Caton, the Labour Gower MP whose constituency includes Pontarddulais, said anti-social behaviour in youths was fuelled by alcohol and drugs which were easier than ever for youngsters to access. |
| "If you talk to people in Pontarddulais, they will tell you that there are 13 and 14-year-olds hanging around off-licences getting young adults to buy liquor for them," he said. | "If you talk to people in Pontarddulais, they will tell you that there are 13 and 14-year-olds hanging around off-licences getting young adults to buy liquor for them," he said. |
| "There are also drugs that will exacerbate the problem and people have got more money to get hold of it." | "There are also drugs that will exacerbate the problem and people have got more money to get hold of it." |
| Mr Caton also said he believed peer pressure was more intense for young people growing up today than it ever has been and this accounted for some of the trouble. | Mr Caton also said he believed peer pressure was more intense for young people growing up today than it ever has been and this accounted for some of the trouble. |
| Maria Battle, the acting children's commissioner for Wales, said she understood concerns over drink-related anti-social behaviour and agreed that the sale of alcohol needed to be curbed, but said that communities must work together to tackle the problem. | Maria Battle, the acting children's commissioner for Wales, said she understood concerns over drink-related anti-social behaviour and agreed that the sale of alcohol needed to be curbed, but said that communities must work together to tackle the problem. |
| Mr Caton said he would be attending another public meeting in Pontarddulais about the issue next Thursday. | Mr Caton said he would be attending another public meeting in Pontarddulais about the issue next Thursday. |
| Earlier in the week, the police had used Swansea's Evening Post newspaper to publish the names and work mobile phones of more than 50 community based constables and 60 police community support officers. | Earlier in the week, the police had used Swansea's Evening Post newspaper to publish the names and work mobile phones of more than 50 community based constables and 60 police community support officers. |
| Police chiefs said the numbers were not for emergencies or incidents but for people to contact officers with any concerns. | Police chiefs said the numbers were not for emergencies or incidents but for people to contact officers with any concerns. |