|
|
 |
| |
| SECURITY GUARDS TO TACKLE VICE |
Police ‘can’t cope’
with new wave of aggressive prostitutes
A PRIVATE security firm has been hired to spy on pimps, prostitutes
and drug dealers by desperate residents who want to clean up their
area.
People living in Sussex Gardens, Bayswater, believe police are no
longer capable of dealing with the area’s crime and resorted
to desperate measures.
The Quadrangle and Devonport residents’ associations are forking
out thousands of pounds to pay Gallowglass Security – who are
regularly employed by television companies and party organisers
– to patrol the area.
Residents have complained of noise, harassment from pimps, of prostitutes
having sex openly in the street and finding used condoms and needles
in their doorways.
Gallowglass security guards will write down the registrations of
kerb crawlers, eavesdrop on conversations and photograph crimes
from house windows.
Quadrangle Residents’ Association (QRA) chairman Chris Ogilvie-Taylor
said matters had got so severe people would pay for 24-hour security,
steel gates and CCTV.
He added QRA had obtained planning permission for gates costing
thousands of pounds. Security firms have been used before but have
had their powers extended to deal with the increasing disturbances.
Chairwoman of the Paddington Police Community Group Lynda King Taylor
argued the area had been hit with a new wave of prostitution that
police seemed unable to cope with.
She said: “Prostitutes have always been kerb crawled in Sussex
Gardens but up until two years ago it was ordinary, quiet prostitutes.
They are now more aggressive. These are appalling women; the lowest
grade prostitutes imaginable and they bring crime.”
Mr Ogilvie-Taylor said: “You are approached as you go to work
and as you take children to school. The children can’t understand
what is going on. What kind of example is this setting?
“The situation could have been sorted years ago if the police
had removed their income. Instead their spasmodic, infrequent presence
was ineffectual.”
A Westminster Council spokesperson said: “We want to improve
the level of intelligence for more effective enforcement. We want
to look at the area as a whole from cutting back shrubs to improving
lighting. We also want to helping women involved in prostitution.”
|
|
|
