Bath crime: Fears people will 'take the law into their own hands' after 'binge of destruction'

A Bath councillor who is worried about police cuts fears that people will end up taking the law 'into their own hands'.

This week, a bus shelter in Wellsway, Odd Down, was smashed.

This comes a month or so after a 'huge binge of destruction' took place in Odd Down, where tyres were slashed, car windscreens and wing mirrors were damaged and a religious sculpture was torn down.

Steve Hedges, the Lib Dem councillor for Odd Down, says that the issue of vandalism is not as bad as it once was in the area, but there is still cause for concern.

Liberal Democrat and Bath and North East Somerset councillor Steve Hedges

He said that off the back of the Government cutting police officer jobs over the last decade, it will get to a point where people will 'start to take the law into their own hands'.

"If you cut budgets until the cows come home, you will get to a point where people will start to take the law into their own hands," he said.

"Then they will get into trouble and it is all wrong. If there is an incident in Bath city centre, that takes precedence over something here, in terms of police coverage.

This bus stop was vandalised in Odd Down this week (Image: Artur Lesniak/Reach)

"I do not know what the answer is. I feel sorry for the police and residents and for the kids who do not have enough things to do, as youth services continue to be cut across the country.

"Since the really bad spate of vandalism earlier this year, it is not as bad, bar this bus shelter being smashed. Vandalism is just completely wrong.

"There is a huge need for more PCSOs and police on the beat."

The shattered glass of the broken bus stop (Image: Artur Lesniak/Reach)

Since September 2009 - the last set of Home Office figures before the Conservatives came into government - there has been a cut of 22,424 police officers.

Prospective BANES Lib Dem councillor Joel Hirst said: "I continue to be concerned about the ongoing anti-social behaviour.

"However residents are reporting improvements since the approach to deal with the issues has been implemented by the police.

"I and other Odd Down residents want to be proud of where we live and that that all residents respect our community assets.

Lib Dem councillor for Odd Down, Steve Hedges, and campaigner and Odd Down resident, Joel Hirst, are concerned about the vandalism issues (Image: Wera Hobhouse)

"We continue to press for more investment in youth service and would support calls for higher viability of the police

"However, I recognise both these require more resources from central Government."

Almost everyone in England in a Band D house, the middle council tax bracket, will have to pay an extra £24 this year to go to the local police force.

This is known as the police precept.

The loaves and fishes sculpture in front of St Philip & St James' Church was also knocked off its plinth before later being restored (Image: Artur Lesniak)

Details have emerged that Bath will have a police station once more.

The station will be located in Lewis House, in Manvers Street, and will see the police presence of an enquiry office and hot desks extended to base the neighbourhood policing team.

The current police base in the city is at the nearby Bath and North East Somerset Council One Stop Shop.