East End gangs intimidating residents

During the Dennistoun area partnership committee, concerns were raised by councillor Elaine McDougall about the issue she felt was “intimidating” her and other members of the community.

Councillor McDougall said she had seen one group – an older generation of men in their 50s standing near the school and urinating in doorways and asked Police Scotland to investigate it.

The other younger group she claimed was hanging around a nearby restaurant across the road.

Ms McDougall said: “What is really concerning for me is along at Parkhill School, and I’ve noticed it quite a bit now, is an older generation of men standing there.

“There is also a younger generation standing over at a nearby restaurant. If you’re a female and you’re walking by these people, it’s quite intimidating.

“I know the police are getting extra money for extra policing off of the housing associations so I don’t know what is happening there and why this is being allowed to happen.

“It’s maybe something that you can focus your attention on. It is older men hanging about the school and then across the road, you have a younger generation.

“I have been told that they are urinating outside the newsagents as well as using the space outside as a seating area. You are talking about men maybe in their 50s and it is a group of them.

“It is just not acceptable.”

Inspector Lesley Docherty said she was not aware of the issue but would ask the community police in the area to look into it.

Inspector Docherty said: “There could be something that I am not cited on and I am always mindful of that.

“We can’t always go on our police data, because not everything does get reported to us. I will certainly put this down as an issue and will come back to you and give you a written response by way of email.

“I wasn’t aware of this issue in this location but I was aware that in the back courts and some of the houses there are kids hanging about and I will come back to you on it.”