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Tensions over Roma

migrants may boil
over, warns Blunkett
Residents who are patrol-
ling local streets to control
anti-social behaviour from
Roma migrants may turn
violent unless integration is
improved, according to Hills-
borough MP David Blunkett.
Concerns have been raised
in Page Hall, Sheffeld after
a number of Roma migrants
from Slovakia moved there.
Dale Cooper, 23, from Firth
Park, said: Its not just hap-
pening in Page Hall, its Firth
Park, Wincobank and Darnall
as well.
Its all getting a bit out of
hand now.
I cant tell you everything
thats happening here but
its not just loud noise and
litter, you should spend a
full day here and see it for
yourself.
They go through peoples
bins at night, elderly peo-
ple have been mugged, and
people have even been of-
fered sex with young girls.
Many people wont leave
their homes after dark. Its a
vile place.
Its been going on for ages
now and police are not lis-
tening to us.
All we want is for them to
respect our way of living.
They have got no right to
come here and do what they
are doing.
Its going to come to a point
where people will deal with it
without the police its getting
that bad now.
The police seem to be on
their side.
You ring them and all you
get is an incident number
and nothing is done about
it. No one is helping to sort
the area out apart from the
residents.
All we want is peace around
here.
The council is looking into in-
troducing a selective licens-
ing scheme for landlords in
the Page Hall area in an ef-
fort to prevent overcrowding
and curb the behaviour from
the Roma migrants.
Cllr Mazher Iqbal, Labour
councillor and cabinet mem-
ber for communities, said:
We have zero tolerance to
the problems that have been
reported in Page Hall and
surrounding areas.
Together with the police, we
will be making more use of
CCTV cameras in the area
and on the spot fnes will be
issued for littering and fy-
tipping.
We are also running a num-
ber of initiatives to help the
Roma and Slovak people
learn English and fnd jobs,
which is all part of their in-
tegration, something that
people argue needs to be
worked on. Were doing all
we can.
Blunkett fears there may be
a repeat of race riots that
took place in Bradford, Old-
ham and Burnley in 2001.
In an interview with BBC Ra-
dio Sheffeld, Blunkett said:
If everything exploded, if
things went really wrong,
the community would obvi-
ously be devastated.
We saw this in Bradford,
Burnley and Oldham all
those years ago when I frst
became home secretary.
We saw that the community
itself were the losers.
More than 200 people were
jailed in the 2001 riots after
far-right groups such as the
British National Party clashed
with Asian communities.
Blunkett said the Roma com-
munity needed to stop be-
haviour such as gathering
on the street and dropping
litter.
He said: Weve got to be
tough and robust in say-
ing to people you are not
in a downtrodden village or
woodland, because many of
them dont even live in areas
where there are toilets or re-
fuse collection facilities.
You are not there anymore,
you are here - and youve got
to adhere to our standards,
and to our way of behaving,
and if you do then youll get
a welcome and people will
support you.
A recent study by Salford
University concluded that
there was a Roma commu-
nity of over 200,000 living in
the UK.
But the Government has
axed Labours Migration Im-
pact Fund, which would have
provided 50m to help with
schools and housing.
Man dragged away after punching boy, 16, on foor
An unemployed man who
was dragged away after
punching and strangling a
16-year-old boy was today
ordered to complete 120
hours of unpaid work.
Philip Button, 32, grabbed
the boy by the throat and
threw him to the foor after
aiming 15 punches and a
number of kicks at his face
and stomach.
The child, who cannot be
legally named, was walking
on Hole House Lane, Stocks-
bridge, in March amid snow
and ice on the pavement,
said Adam Walker, prosecut-
ing.
Button got out of his car
and attacked the boy after
he punched another vehicle
which narrowly swerved by
him.
Giving evidence via vide-
olink, the 16-year-old said:
He caught me on the right
hand side of my cheek,
grabbed my head and start-
ed to knee me in the face. I
barely even knew what hap-
pened.
He was proper going for me
and strangled me while I was
on the foor.
Giving evidence, witness
Sarah Wallace told Sheffeld
Magistrates Court: He had
got the lad by the throat on
the foor. The boy was a hor-
rible, purple colour. I thought
he was choking.
Button pleaded guilty to
common assault contrary to
section 39 of the Criminal
Justice Act.
He admitted grabbing the
boy but denied punching
him.
Karen Smith, mitigating,
said: He [Button] is not ac-
cepting punching or kicking
this lad.
Chairman of the bench
Tony Griffths ordered But-
ton to complete 120 hours
of unpaid work, and to pay
85 costs, a 60 victim sur-
charge, and 100 in com-
pensation.
Speaking to reporters out-
side court, Button said:
Look at the size of me.
Dont you think I would have
made more damage than
that? Its a fucking joke.
Ice dancer raises
more than 300
to compete at
the British
Championships
A 13-year-old ice dancer
from Stocksbridge is to com-
pete at the British Ice Skat-
ing Championships after
raising more than 300 with
donations from all over the
world.
Dominic Barters online plea
drew money from Germa-
ny, Canada, Belgium and
France, as well as Britain.
His 300 target was met
within three days and dona-
tions continue to arrive.
He said: We needed a lot
of money for the champion-
ships and this mainly goes
towards the costumes - a
couple for ball room dances
and one for the free dance.
There is also an entry fee
and coaching fees which are
quite expensive.
Dominic will compete with
By Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Visit our website, HH.com,
for more on this story
Analysis: Who are the Roma?
By Ben Topliss
Button punched the boy 15 times
By Cristiano Ronaldo
Pub triumphs
in Loo of the
Year awards
A nomadic group of
people whose ancestors
are thought to have left
North-West India at the
beginning of the 11th
century before spreading
across Europe
Most commonly referred
to as Gypsies, Roma are
the largest minority group
in Europe
The largest Roma mi-
nority in the EU is in Ro-
mania - where more than
a million reside
They make up between
fve and ten percent of
the population of many
European countries
The total population of
Roma people is uncertain,
estimates have ranged
from two million to more
than twelve million
Poverty and discrima-
tion have long held back
Roma people
The Rawson Spring pub in
Langsett Road, Hillsborough,
has been recognised in the
Loo of the Year awards.
The Wetherspoon pub won
gold, the second highest
honour in the competition.
The Francis Newton in Clark-
house Road, Broomhill, and
The Sheaf Island in Ecclesall
received the highest rating -
platinum.
The pub tweeted on their of-
fcial account: Great news!!
Weve won gold at the Loo
of the Year Awards! Chuffed
with that #Rawsome.
The competition has encour-
aged high standards in pub-
lic toilets since 1987.
partner Hana Wrigglesworth,
11, in the Novice Dance cat-
egory at the Championships.
The event will be held at
iceSheffeld between the
25th and 30th November.
There is no direct funding
available for Dominic so all
his costs around 10,000 a
year - must be met by family
and supporters.
Dominic, who attends
Stocksbridge High School,
said: We do a lot of self-
fundraising, events such as
discos, quiz nights and spon-
sored events.
There is also my website
and my Facebook blog.
Louise Barter, Dominics
mother, said: Im person-
ally quite amazed because
the people who have donat-
ed have been people from all
over the world, from people
who have only met him once
to people who havent even
met him at all.
Its amazing to have that
kind of support.
Its an awful struggle to
raise the money needed to
support Dominic.
My husband works but Im
unable to work full-time as I
take Dominic to all the com-
petitions and training.
Weve had to cut back on
everything, but its worth it.
Dominic trains up to 6 days
per week.
David Blunkett fears a repeat of the 2001 northern riots if Roma migrants in Page Hall, Sheffeld, do not change their anti-social behaviour
HILLSBOROUGH HERALD 2 JANUARY 2014
10,000
The amount of money it costs
to fund Dominics ice skating
every year, which is all met by
his family.