MP meets home secretary over night of violence

Police have described the investigation into events at Richmond Court in Grangetown as "fast-moving"

An MP has met with the home secretary to call for government support following a night of violence which saw a car driven into a house, with shots later fired at a separate vehicle and another set alight in the same area.

The trouble on Thursday last week centred on Richmond Court in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, with Cleveland Police having now made 10 arrests as well as seizing more than £50,000 in cash, a machete and two vehicles.

Redcar's Anna Turley discussed the matter with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Wednesday and said she asked for "an immediate response" as well as a long-term plan.

The Home Office has been approached for comment.

Speaking to BBC Radio Tees, Labour's Turley described the trouble as "a really extreme incident".

However, she added people in the area "in many ways won't be that surprised because we've seen for so many years now a really worrying trend of rising violence, drugs, gangs and anti-social behaviour with people on bikes".

"To have this on your doorstep is absolutely horrendous. People don't deserve to live in a community where they feel besieged or over-run. This has to stop."

Detailing her discussion with the home secretary, Turley added: "I tried to explain not just the extremity of this incident, but that we've seen so much decline in our social fabric with a lack of investment and the destruction of youth services, and Cleveland Police has been struggling with reduced budgets over the years.

"This is how we've ended up in this situation.

"We have to invest in rebuilding our communities. I was really pleased she got the urgency of the situation."

MP Anna Turley says the home secretary understood the urgency of the situation

On Wednesday, Cleveland's temporary Assistant Chief Constable, Dave Sutherland, said detectives had been "working around the clock" to identify and arrest people on suspicion of offences such as possession of a firearm, arson, assault and money laundering.

One man has been charged with other nine people arrested and released from custody on conditional bail.

"Our message is clear - criminals do not and will not own these streets," Mr Sutherland said in a statement.

He added officers have been investigating a separate "terrifying" and "abhorrent racially motivated attack" which also happened on Thursday last week, with a large group throwing stones and fireworks at a family home on Birchington Avenue.

Two boys aged 12 and 16 have been arrested on suspicion of violent disorder and criminal damage.

Mr Sutherland said the force was "struggling to get information" from witnesses and residents.