Harassed by itinerants

Itinerants are running amok in Darwin city centre on Sundays because there is no Night Patrol, it was said last night.

Guardian Security owner Ian Spooner said last Sunday was the worst night for tourists being harassed by mobs of itinerants his security guards had seen for several years.

"It's been a problem on Sunday nights for a long time because there is no Night Patrol but just recently it has got out of hand," he said.

"There were several clusters of up to 10 adults circling tourists and passers-by in the city centre on Sunday night harassing them for money and cigarettes.

"We had to intervene at one stage when three backpackers were bailed up and intimidated by a big group of itinerants and waited until police arrived.

"It's getting to the point where tourists are getting physically accosted by itinerants demanding money and cigarettes.

"Tourists don't report it to police because they are only here for a short while and don't want the hassle of filing a report.

"If there was a Night Patrol on Sundays that would get a lot of the itinerants off the streets because they could be taken back to their community."

Night Patrol services manager Jeff Prossor said Mission Australia would prefer to operate a patrol on Sundays but does not have the funding.

"A Sunday Night Patrol would be a positive move but we just don't have the funds," he said.

"We also don't get funding to open the sobering-up shelter on Sundays and the two go hand-in-hand."

Police spokeswoman Sue Bradley said Sunday night was quiet for police in the city centre with one lone drunk, one traffic infringement notice and one caution.

A man found by police lying unconscious from a head wound in a pool of blood outside the Cavanagh Hotel was listed as a general disturbance.

The Department of Community Services issued a statement that "from time to time the department has allocated private patrolling to particular areas on Sunday nights when there is a bit of an upsurge".

"We have not had this brought to our attention for the city centre in recent times, though would not pretend that it does not happen."

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: 22 March 2005
Source: Northern Territory News (Australia)
Copyright: 2005 Northern Territory News
Contact: ntnmail@ntn.newsltd.com.au
Website: http://ntnews.news.com.au/
Author: Greg McLean