A FATHER has said his family are in a “living hell” as anti-social behaviour and violent crime increases on their doorstep.
Just days after an arson attack wrecked a nearby play park, Glen Dimascio, who lives in Alexandra Park, Poole, with his wife and their four children, is calling for action to help them feel safe in their own home.
They were placed in the three-bedroom home which backs onto the park in October 2014 as their son has a severe form of autism.
However, the family have been subjected to a tirade of anti-social behaviour incidents leading up to the recent arson attack – leaving the children in “fear” of coming home.
The family have experienced intoxicated people banging on their doors in the early hours demanding a drink, had their fence climbed over, windows smashed, loud music playing and drug abuse take place outside the children’s bedroom window.
They once even found two individuals using the family hot tub late at night.
Glen, who suffers from Crohn’s disease and recently underwent major surgery, also had to adapt the front door to prevent his young daughter from opening it to strangers after a previous incident.
The 42-year-old driver said: “We were awarded this house because of my son’s needs as he needed to be somewhere safe. Living here has been anything but. We’ve had so much harassment living here, not because of us but because of the way this park is.
“It’s making our life a living hell. My young son and daughter won’t go outside and play and my wife doesn’t like walking the dogs anymore or taking our newborn baby out because there is so much trouble.
“We’ve asked countless times for the park to be locked overnight, for better CCTV. We just want out of this park. We’ve been trying to move for around a year and a half.
“This was supposed to be a safe environment for us as a family. BCP Council have no adequate housing for us to move to, so we’re stuck. Our situation is unique and I don’t think we’re being taken seriously.”
Glen’s autistic son was so traumatised by the fire, he told staff at his special needs school that he “didn’t feel safe at home” and that he “didn’t want to go to sleep” in fear of another fire. Glen says this has broken his heart.
Sovereign Housing, the property landlord, erected an eight-foot fence around the home in a bid to reduce the harassment suffered by the family – which was described as a “recognition” of the problems in the park. Sovereign also installed a lock code on the property’s front gate, which was later destroyed by vandals.
Glen also privately paid £1,000 for CCTV to be installed around his home.
Penn Hill Conservative councillor Tony O’Neill befriended the family after an exhausted Glen first approached him with his concerns. Cllr O’Neill says he is “fully dedicated” to ensure the family are rehomed as soon as possible.
He told the Echo: “Glen has been positive in trying to resolve the situation. This seemingly idyllic situation for a young family has turned into an escalating nightmare to which no parent would want their family exposed. The house is not the problem, the location is.”
He added: “The Dimascio’s are a hardworking, loving and caring family. They have my total support and somehow I will find a solution for them.”
The family did also stress their love of the house itself and understood suggestions they would appear ungrateful. However, they believe the location is not fit to house a family, beliefs echoed by Cllr O’Neill.
Glen added: “It is horrendous. We are living in hell. It’s a beautiful place and we should be able to enjoy it – we can’t. We were given this house to raise our family in a safe environment, but it is not safe. We need out of this house so I can protect my children.”
Last year, Alexandra Park was chosen as one of the places to receive a greater presence of neighbourhood policing officers as part of an effort named Operation Nova.
A BCP Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of this family’s situation and our Housing Options Team are engaged with them to help resolve it. Following a full assessment we will continue to provide them with support.
“Some steps have already been taken by their landlord to make the home feel safer for the family and a multi-agency effort is underway to provide further assistance. The Council’s Community Safety Team and colleagues at Dorset Police have also been working together to address cases of anti-social behaviour in this area, which will hopefully go some way to alleviate the issues this family and surrounding households are experiencing.”
Regarding the arson attack, a Dorset Police spokesperson said: “No arrests have been made at this time and our investigation is ongoing. Local officers are continuing to carry out patrols in the area and we would again urge anyone with information to come forward.”
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