the riots

[billy]

i think we have had a thread on the riots. but this one is about a different thing.

some councils in the uk are taking people to court in order to evict them because they broke their tenancy agreements etc. some families could lose their homes because of the actions of a teenage child and even pre teenage children. is it too harsh a an action?

here's an article in it's entirety;

Manchester riots: wine thief, 12, could lose his council home
The family of a 12-year-old boy photographed stealing a bottle of wine during riots in Manchester are facing the possibility of eviction from their council house.
The 12-year-old at home with his mother and their pet dog. The woman said her 'biggest fear’ was losing the house
The 12-year-old at home with his mother and their pet dog. The woman said her 'biggest fear’ was losing the house Photo: JULIAN SIMMONDS

By Nigel Bunyan, and Stephen Adams

The boy was caught on camera stealing the £7.49 bottle from a city centre Sainsbury’s on Tuesday evening and was charged with burglary.

On Thursday he was given a nine-month referral order, requiring him to see a probation officer once a fortnight, while his mother received a £50 fine.

But Manchester City Council have warned that the family of four, none of whom can be named for legal reasons, could pay a much higher price.

A spokesman said: “We are currently preparing a file on this case while we assess the next steps with a view to seeking a possession order. We will not tolerate any of our tenants being involved in anti-social behaviour, which is detrimental to the city.”

Authorities throughout England are taking action against tenants charged with involvement in the disturbances.

Wandsworth council in south-west London is preparing an eviction order for the mother of an 18-year-old boy charged in connection with riots near Clapham Junction station on Monday night.

Leaders of Birmingham City Council have also promised to do whatever they can to evict rioters and looters.

Yesterday, the mother of the 12-year-old boy described losing their home as her “biggest fear”.

She said there was “no excuse” for his behaviour and said she had grounded him. She also admitted she had been reprimanded for her parenting skills by her own mother.

“My mum saw it and called me saying I need to get control of him and be careful because I could lose this house,” she said. “That’s my biggest fear now, I’m scared we will be kicked out.”

The 33-year-old lives in an end-of-terrace house on a run-down inner city estate with her son and 14-year-old daughter. Her boyfriend, the father of the two children, is in prison and is due to be released in February.

She said of their boy: “He has been grounded now for weeks, until he goes back to school at least.”

But she also claimed he was “not a bad kid”, saying: “He has been in trouble before for fighting at school but he wasn’t charged. He is really feeling ashamed now: his face is all over the place from the CCTV and coming out of court.

“There is no excuse for what he did. He shouldn’t have done it: end of. The fact it’s the summer holidays is no excuse. He is sorry and I am too. He is really good at school and he wants to be a footballer.”

The boy said a 16-year-old girl had urged him to steal the wine. “I just didn’t think,” he said. “I am gutted my picture’s in the paper and now I have a record.”

Grant Shapps, the housing minister, has urged local authorities to take action against tenants involved in the riots.

Ravi Govindia, leader of Conservative-run Wandsworth council, said councillors owed it to “decent law-abiding citizens” to “send out a strong signal that this kind of violence will not be tolerated”.

John Lines, Birmingham council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “There will be no soft option. I have thousands of decent law-abiding families queuing up for council houses and will waste no time getting rid of these scum of the Earth.”