Father convicted of assault

after suffering years of abuse from youths who threatened to rape his daughter, 7



A father who stood up to youths after a two-year campaign of abuse has been convicted of assault after reaching the 'end of his tether'.

David Magson told a court he was forced to endure months of abuse and vandalism from a gang - including a threat to rape his seven-year-old daughter.
The father-of-two marched outside his Leicester home with a rounders bat to have it out with youths who had 'tormented' him and his neighbours for years.
But he found himself in the dock on an assault charge after striking one of them with the bat and pushing him over.

The bus driver was handed an 18-month community order at Leicester Crown Court and told to attend an anger management course after he admitted causing actual bodily harm and being in possession of an offensive weapon.

Today he said youths from a local hostel had been responsible for the trouble - but the authorities had failed to deal with them.

He and his neighbours had repeatedly complained to the police, the hostel and the city council about their behaviour, but nothing was done, he said.
Mr Magson said: 'Personally I think it's wrong that people can run amok and do what they want and terrorise people. It's about time the police were given the authority to deal with these people.
'Due to drugs and alcohol, they are not thought to be responsible for their actions.

'People such as me and you, if we go out and confront them, because we are sensible, decent and hard-working people we have to take responsibility for our actions.'
He added: 'I've had eggs thrown at my windows. On the night in question it was the third time my car had been vandalised. They've tried to mug me twice.

'One day I got a smack in the face on my way to work. On another occasion, when I went to complain, I was urinated on from an upstairs window.'

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The 39-year-old said he had suffered threats, verbal abuse and had items, including excrement, thrown at his flat.
On March 21, as he was watching television at home with his young children James,11, and Katie, seven, a neighbour rang to tell him his car was being vandalised.
Mr Magson went outside, armed with the bat, to complain to hostel staff.
He was confronted and goaded by a number of youths and Mr Magson struck out. His victim suffered a minor head injury when he was pushed.

Police officers arrived and the resident told them he was a member of a community group who were fed up with the incessant problems. But he was arrested and later charged.
Sentencing him, Judge Ian Collis said: 'I'm sure you were at the end of your tether. I accept you were under extreme provocation.'
Mr Magson said the situation in his street has improved since his brush with the law.

Police patrols have been stepped up and a change of management has seen the behaviour of the hostel's residents improve, he said.

But he added: 'It's a pity it involved me being prosecuted, before anything was done about the problem.'
Mr Magson could soon find himself in court again, however, as a victim of violent crime.
Five days after his arrest, he was left nearly blind in one eye when he was attacked with a pint glass in Leicester city centre.

His defence lawyer Rebecca Herbert, told the court: 'He cannot say the youths who glassed him had anything to do with the hostel, but he has his suspicions.'