Scottish neighbourhood dubbed 'the Bronx' after warring children terrorise residents

Gangs of feral primary school kids are terrorising a neighbourhood and 'turning it into the Bronx' by throwing stones, smashing windows and intimidating shoppers, residents claim.

The Priesthill area of Glasgow (bottom) has been dubbed 'the Bronx' (top left) after a host of youth-related anti-social behaviour. Photo of the Bronx: Philip Capper, Flickr

Schoolchildren as young as nine and ten years old are running riot in Priesthill, in Glasgow's South Side, with neighbours dubbing it 'the Bronx' after one of New York's most notorious boroughs.

It is claimed the amount of boarded up windows has not been seen since 2003, two years before the Violence Reduction Unit was set up to target gang wars in Scotland's largest city.

In 2007, the neighbourhood's fortunes changed when the Silverburn shopping centre was built - which has now become a hotbed of 'conflict' for warring children.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a resident said: "There's been a lot of what seems to be gang-related conflict among young people, which we haven't seen here since before Silverburn was built.

"A group of nine and ten-year-olds are terrorising the area - they are smashing windows and it's costing too much for the local housing association to replace.

"There is a lot of fear and alarm.

"The gangs are also going to Silverburn and causing conflict there, so people have concerns walking around the streets."

Homeowners considering selling

A crisis meeting was held last week between fraught neighbours, police and the Glasgow Housing Association - which has warned parents that their childrens' behaviour could jeopardise their tenancy.

But the concerned resident said homeowners are considering leaving the area, and claimed that tiny yobs hurled stones at one person who tried to challenge them and ended up getting hit with a rock.

The neighbour added: "Homeowners are considering selling which will leave the area looking like the Bronx - people are already calling it that.

"People don't want to live here because of the troubles.

"A resident went out and challenged one of the groups who were throwing stones last year and they ended up being hit with them."

'Stamp this out'

Scottish Labour councillor Rushid Hussain warned that a "fear of repercussion" was putting people off contacting police.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: "It would appear that there are small groups of youths, both girls and boys, aged between 11 and 16 years, who are responsible for most of the anti-social behaviour issues in Priesthill and we are working to identify those involved, and we will take the necessary action and use all reporting mechanisms open to us, should persons be identified.

"We want to stamp this out too but need the support of the community to do this."