Belfast: Needles and cocaine found near youth centre, parents warned

The items were found near St Peter's Immaculata Youth Centre in west Belfast

A senior youth worker in west Belfast has warned children are being put at risk after needles, tablets and other substances were found near its centre.

St Peter's Immaculata Youth Centre is situated beside St Peter's Cathedral in the lower Falls Road area.

Stephen Hughes said they are having "major problems" with drug users using the grounds of the cathedral.

He added that children have picked up items including diazepam and pregabalin tablets.

"We have seen a significant increase in the last 10 days where we are collecting more and more drug paraphernalia," he added.

"Our biggest concern is probably used needles, but in the last few days we have lifted cocaine, there is cocaine on the ground here beside me, we have blood spills, we have lifted drugs, handed over to the police.

"One was a strip of Pregabalin, and these are being left in what is the children's play area, so it is putting the children from the community here at risk.

"It is strangers, they aren't from the community, they are people who are coming in to use the grounds," Mr Hughes said.

"The protection of our children is what concerns us most."

'Seriously concerning'

Mr Hughes said the centre will continue to facilitate sessions with children and young people on the dangers of lifting used needles and drug paraphernalia.

"A lot of the children are actually messaging the social media page, or they are coming into the youth centre directly and telling us there's needles here, or there's blood spilled, or they have found drugs," he said.

"There's cocaine lying on the ground, any child lifts that up, picks any of these things up and puts them in their mouths or whatever, we could be talking about a fatality.

"It's seriously concerning.

"Police have increased their patrols around the cathedral and the youth centre and it doesn't seem to have made much of a difference."

The parish says youth centre staff chased three drug users away from the Cathedral's steps on Tuesday

Posting on Facebook, St Peter's Cathedral Parish Belfast said at least 20 needles had been found in the Cathedral's grounds over the last few days.

"The staff lifted needles, tablets and other substances that were left behind," it added.

Stephen Hughes said there were "major problems"

It urged parents to warn their children not to touch any needles or bags found in the area and to report them to the parochial house or staff at the youth centre. It said they will get authorities to come and remove the items.

People Before Profit's Gerry Carroll said there is "no quick and easy solution" to the current problems with drug use.

"It's very concerning. Generally, working class communities are dealing with mental health issues and a drug and addiction crisis," he told the Evening Extra programme.

"This is a holistic issue - there's no quick and easy solution to some of the problems. We need to look at an approach that deals with this as a health issue rather than a criminal one."

Police said they are taking the matter "very seriously".

"Our officers have been engaging with partner agencies and local representatives on an ongoing basis as we seek collaborative and proactive solutions to issues around the abuse of drugs," said Neighbourhood Policing Sgt Irwin.

"I want to remind those who use intravenous drugs that they should not consume them in publicly accessible areas, and of the risks they are posing to others when they do not dispose of their items safely."

Sgt Irwin said the discarding of needles can be "extremely dangerous, especially if found by younger children".