Families avoiding Falls Park due to 'criminality'

A 15-year-old boy was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being assaulted in Falls Park

Fewer people are using Falls Park in west Belfast because of anti-social behaviour from children, according to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

A 15-year-old boy was seriously assaulted in the park on Saturday.

Insp Róisín Brown said the incident had led to a "nervousness" in the local community.

"Local residents, families, people who want to use that really beautiful open space, particularly in the summer months are reluctant to," she told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster programme.

"Young people should be socialising, it's healthy to socialise and they're coming from all over the city which is good to see, but whenever that behaviour descends into criminality and it intimidates members of the community, that's a problem for us."

The PSNI said anti-social behaviour was "unacceptable" and appealed to parents and guardians to be aware of where their children are.

Some residents say the won't return to the park in the evenings

A local resident said she was "disgusted" by the "totally unnecessary" behaviour of some of the young people in the area.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Pat Hall said: "This park is for everybody, why destroy it? It's for our own good and people don't appreciate what we have around us.

"This park is great for anybody, during the day a lot of lonely people walk the park, and it's somebody to talk to, and the young ones, why wreck it? I think it's awful."

'Worsening behaviour'

Father Martin Magill has called for a "joint community response" to the issue

Local priest, Father Martin Magill, has called for a "joint community response" to the issue, adding that it is not just an issue for the police, but for parents and schools too.

"It starts with parents, do you know where your children are? Do you know who they are with?" he said.

"Is there value in parents taking a walk through the Falls Park on a Saturday night, just to see the goings on?"

Police have said that Belfast City Council wardens have been an "invaluable" help tackling anti-social behaviour and have made a "huge difference in Falls Park".

A Belfast City Council spokesperson said the authority has been "working closely with the PSNI and youth workers, intervening in several altercations and dispersing those involved".

“Unfortunately, a young male was assaulted further into the park, and our officers immediately alerted the PSNI and Northern Ireland Ambulance Service who responded swiftly.

"Our staff remained on site to assist emergency responders and worked with the PSNI to disperse the remaining group of young people."

The council said it is "committed to ensuring the safety of our parks and will continue to work closely with the PSNI and other partners to address antisocial behaviour and violence. We encourage anyone with information about the assault to contact the PSNI".