Youth violence - A mother's view

Two teenagers were jailed for the offence in December last year.

This week the mother of the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has responded to comments made regarding her son.

Here is her view. I am the mother of the unnamed youth involved in this terrible attack on a frail 75 year old man. As his mother I in no way want to justify what my son had been involved in. However, the reader was wondering where the parents have been during all of this.

I will be forever sorry to Mr Kenneth Hamer for what he endured that night, but it could well have been prevented.

I knew from the age of two years old that my son was most definately different to other kids his age.

There were a catalogue of unusual incidents involving his behaviour.

He struggled through his nursery days and most of his schooling. I approached his school headteacher and demanded he be assessed by a professional psychologist. He was instantly diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD). I was sent for on most days of his schooling due to his behaviour towards staff and his peers. Upon working with the psychologist and his teachers it was realised that there was more wrong than first detected.

He was the eldest of my children with three younger siblings. As a family we had some awful experiences with him. He attended a behavioural secondary school which I as his parent arranged. Whilst he attended this school I asked Social Services for help in controlling my son's now very strange outbursts and behaviour. I requested that he be assessed yet again as I believed he had mental health issues.

He was eventually diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at 13 years of age. He was also given a 10 year ASBO due to his behaviour whilst out with his friends.

The Asperger's meant he had no social skills and no understanding of other people's feelings if he upset them.

Basically he was definately a potential danger to family included with his unpredictable outbursts.

Within the home he threw scissors, bottles, knives and constantly verbally abused his siblings and myself. I have had hot kettle water poured over myself whilst sat reading.

Things began to get progressively worse as he grew to 6ft tall by the age of 15. I was shown a holding technique to calm him down but due to his size it only worked for so long.

As his parent I begged with our system to help me, to no avail. I visited our family GP with my son's grandmother, totally desperate for help. The GP informed me that there was no place available for kids like my son. I was also told that there are thousands of people like him on our streets as there is nowhere to put them.

I left the surgery again with my son's medication and no real help.

I have known for some years that my boy would eventually hurt or harm another human being including myself or one of his siblings. I was totally ignored by the system, yet I was screaming out for help. I watched my son cry too because he knew he was different but couldn't control it. In reply to the disgusted reader, none of this was noted in any media report.

The Crown Court referred to him as nothing more than a complicated child. No medical reports were brought before his judge whatsoever.

Three years before this incident my son was removed by social services. He had become too much of a risk around his siblings. He was able to visit us, with a transport lift with one of his carers. So, now I had lost all my rights as his parent. The system placed him in various children's homes and secure units. My son still wasn't getting the help he so desperately needed. He was pushed from pillar to post as they say. The system never settled him and stopped having him assessed.

Despite my son's problems as his mother I love him totally. Had he been born with a physical disability he would have been given the help required. Mental health issues are brushed under the carpet by our once great nation.

As to the suggestion that my son was placed in the army and made a man of, he would never have qualified due to his problems.

How dare this reader pass judgement on any matter they know nothing about. We have never met and they have no idea as a parent what I've tried to do to help my son. If our system had listened to me 15 years ago this incident with Mr Hamer would have been prevented.

I cannot, however, comment on the other boy involved as only his parents can speak for him. My son is very ill and has been all his life.

So, disgusted reader, I hope your head is bowed in shame because like the system you are totally ignorant. My son is now doing five years in prison because this makes life easier for our system. He still doesn't get the support and desperate help he needs which I as the parent am totally disgusted over.

The system has failed my family completely, but above all else they failed Mr Hamer. If my son is regarded as a thug then so be it, but people should know some facts before passing judgement on the parents.

Might I add that at the time of this incident my son was being looked after by social services aftercare workers. His ASBO prohibited him from certain areas and he also had to be indoors by 10pm. I have still been given no explanation as to why my son was out on a park with three other youths at midnight. He was also very drunk which his medication doesn't allow. Forever I will ask myself why!

Also, where were these carers that night. I will never forgive the system for what's happened to my son or poor Mr Hamer. I spend every day wishing somebody had listened to me. Had this been the case my son and Mr Hamer would be safe and well. I give my thoughts to Mr Hamer most days but believe our system could have prevented what happened on that night on the park.

Name and address withheld for legal reasons.

Leave your comments here. Please be aware that legal restrictions apply protecting the identity of the youth.