Youths charged with Alloa Academy damage

Jamie MacDonald • Published 28 Jul 2010 11:25 10 Comments

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FIVE youngsters, aged between 10 and 13-years-old, have been charged with causing £2800 worth of damage at Alloa Academy.

A report has been submitted to the Children's Reporter after the youngsters were traced following the smashing of seven large windows at the new school.

Community Constable Craig Hamilton said, "The only explanation the youth's responsible could provide for the damage they caused was that they were 'bored' and had 'nothing else to do'.

"I therefore urge any children on school holidays to occupy themselves with more traditional past times, instead of turning to vandalism, as ultimately you will be traced and dealt with accordingly."

The double paned 5ft by 5ft tinted windows cost £400 each to replace and were smashed by stones.

In 2009-10 the destruction of external property at Clackmannanshire's schools cost the local authority over £33,000 to repair.

Councillor Sam Ovens, Clackmannanshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, said, "This sort of problem may be seen as low-level crime, but it is the sort of anti-social behaviour that brings an area down, so I am pleased to hear that the police have charged youths in connection with these broken windows.

"Our new secondary schools are state-of-the-art buildings which the whole community can be proud of.

"Boredom seems a poor excuse for committing this sort of mindless damage."

He added, "The repair was carried out by Amey, who are investigating the possibility of further security precautions. These costs are not passed back to the Council."

Ten windows have been smashed at Craigbank Primary School in Sauchie.

The damage has been caused during three attacks on the school over the last month.

Community Constable Forbes

Wilson said, "Unfortunately the great facilities at the school and in the playground area are being abused by youths congregating and causing anti-social behaviour.

"Positive lines of enquiry are being investigated and high visibility patrols are being carried out in the school grounds."

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

anon
Unregistered User
Jul 29, 12:35
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well! what do you expect when you place a school in the worst/deprived part of Alloa, with the highest rate of crime and violence! you only have your self to blame, Council.

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Bill
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Jul 29, 18:27
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"what do you expect when you place a school in the worst/deprived part of Alloa, with the highest rate of crime and violence! you only have your self to blame, Council"

Craigbank Primary is hardly in the middle of worst/deprived part of the County, so how do you explain that one??? Get Real!!!!

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hazelkaye
200 posts
Jul 31, 20:40
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Constable Hamilton!

The trouble is that, for too many youngsters and for many-a long year, the smashing of windows has, unfortunately been a "TRADITIONAL PASTIME"!!

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Kevin
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Aug 1, 12:43
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they said Alooa not the county lol, YOU live in Craigbank dont u lol

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JayGee
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Aug 3, 09:02
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"you only have yourselves to blame, council", says Anon.

It's certainly much easier to blame a faceless organisation rather than those who throw the stones, those who fail to supervise them and those in the community who know who they are.

I spent an enjoyable summer some years ago helping provide school-holiday activities for some of Alloa's kids and, while the children were appreciative, the support we got from parents was almost non-existant. It doesn't surprise me that many years on the problems are the same.

There's an old african saying - "it takes a whole village to raise a child". Get up and sort out something for these children instead of blaming the council.

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Weeyin
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Aug 6, 11:35
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The area of the school is NO EXCUSE for the vandalism done to the school. The same kids would still be at the school no matter where is was situated and a different location would not make a difference to these childrens attitudes. I also ask, where else would you suggest the school could have been built? I have worked on this project since the start and the choice of location was down to size, there was nowhere else which was big enough to hold the facilities that the Council wanted to provide.

Growing up I NEVER vandalised a thing because I was taught not to do these things by my parents. The parents need to start disciplining there children properly and they might not be such vandals.

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Liziloo
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Sep 17, 16:16
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Parents need to know where their children are and who they are involved with! Lots of parents are too busy with their own lives to bother about their kids as long as they are not annoying them!! Parents need to take responsibility!!

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Anonymous
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Nov 4, 19:42
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While I agree that the children need to be taught decent manners and discipline by their parents, I do not agree with the idea that the school was built there because of "its size".

I think this is total rubbish.

I have been told many, many times that that site was chosen because the old Alloa Academy site was worth a lot for the property market, and also, the site was the cheapest area of land to buy possible.

Have a look at Lornshill and Alva - they have much, much better locations and buildings. I'm afraid Alloa has been left to the worst choice.

And yes, there were other options: built the new building behind the old one, like Lornshill did, for example!

As a pupil of Alloa Academy, I totally agree that the children need to be educated in terms of manners, behaviour and discipline. The way that some children act in that school are abysmal. I have heard on many, many, many occasions some children acting in a terrible manner towards people such as the catering staff. Some people are so arrogant and rude, not even uttering the words, "please" or "thank you", while others, such as myself, try very hard to act in the most civil way.

As the old saying goes, "it only takes a few bad ones to spoil the bunch."

This is particularly true of Alloa Academy.

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Aloha
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Jan 6, 13:55
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"where else would you suggest the school could have been built?" ermm let me think, behind the old one dumbass. The only reason the school was built there is because who else would build private houses/businesses there other than a dumbass like who asked that question. Why wouldn't they build anything there dispite the cheapness of the land, because the exact same thing would happen to them and why didn't they just build it behind the old one, because the large prime location for private houses which is what the council wants.

"The area of the school is NO EXCUSE for the vandalism done to the school" OMG he/she is more stupid than I thought. Whoever wrote this needs to get out more. The location of the school is a perfect "excuse", I was at the old school when the new one was getting build and I thought the exact same thing would happen that is happening now. The area has alot lot of kids that are from depived homes that has nothing else to do other than cause trouble, yes its the parents fault for not raising their kids properly but its not always the parents, its also the friends but the real blame should be put on the council for puting the school there in the first place AND not providing good entertainment and services for kids. What has kids got to do? Theres the leasure bowl if you like swimming, the midnight club if you like football, theres plenty parks and park space if you like FOOTBALL and if your aged 2-10 but their not the ones causing trouble, its the teenagers that miby like football but not all the time, they would rather drink alcohol, smoke weed and cause trouble which to me sounds like alot more fun. Thank good bye.

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JRDS
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Feb 7, 14:38
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If the Parents along with their children had to make good repairs by paying for the damage along with some maintenance in the area of where there crime/boredom took place was a punishment option we would see a real decline in this tyoe of behaviour. Instead we punish the youths by sending them to an adventure training school for two weeks out of public funds as well as giving them gifts to behave.

People need to be accountable for the actions of there siblings, and punish them accordingly without outside interference, spare the rod spoil the child !

All you goody goody people who think's the child's misunderstood and requires some attention, take the kid to your place for a month, you'll soon change your attitude. We need to get real and install the values in our youth that we find acceptable, not tolerable.

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