A resident has described living in Rockmills as 'like a living hell'.
The resident, who wishes to remain anonymous out of fear of reprisal from other residents still living there, spoke to Derry News in order to “advise anybody not to contemplate” moving into the apartments, having recently been assaulted within the complex.
Describing life in Rockmills the resident said: “There seems to be a lot of younger ones moving in and they often seem to have problems with drugs and alcohol.”
Describing life in Rockmills the resident said: “I moved in in March 2021, and it was okay at the start, you know? But the last 18 months, well they have been appalling really.
“There seems to be a lot of younger ones moving in and they often seem to have problems with drugs and alcohol.
“I’ve been assaulted myself by four young fellas who stole my wallet and broke my jaw. I was able to block all my bank cards but I still need to get my ID and all sorted.
“I had to inform the police about it, who took CCTV and all, but so far, not a lot has seemed to have happened. They were all arrested, but two of them are still living here. It’s not really safe. I don’t feel safe living here.
“Even yesterday (Wednesday, May 15) out where the car park is, there were two fellas scrapping. The CCTV would have caught that. As I say the police, they did come down, but they can’t seem to get things under control here.
“They will arrest them, but then they get out again near enough straight away and come back here.
“There are security people who work here 24/7, but their hands are tied. Whenever anything happens, they sort of just have to phone the police and can’t get involved.
“Any time there's an empty flat here, because a lot of people are going into private housing just to get away from it, it’s usually somebody that’s just been released from prison or been put out of their own areas by paramilitaries.”
Describing the impact on their day to day living, the resident said: “Well I am disabled, I have epilepsy and a leg injury, so I very rarely go out. I get my shopping delivered and pay my electric and all through the phone.
“My family are all working so they can’t come down all that often, although they did all take time off work the time I got the beating.
“I am trying to get out of here, and have a local representative, Gary Donnelly, helping me with that. I am hoping to get homelessness points even though I’ve a roof over my head. I would still be classed as homeless because I live in fear of violence, but that’s not sorted yet, I’m hoping that is soon.
“It’s just so stressful, I wake up first thing in the morning and I am just stressed out already. Especially when I am trying to get some sleep at night and you hear all the roaring and shouting going on. You don’t know if they’re going to come to your door or what.
“They run around the building banging at everybody’s doors practically. Every day is a living hell.
“Now there’s some nice people that do live here. I’m not too sure how many are here but the apartment numbers go up to 85. I would say out of that, 70% of the apartments have bad people in them and the other 30% are just nice, normal people.
“There’s families living here, living with young people and teenagers. It’s not really suitable for those kinds of people. I don’t know their situation, why they’re living here, but it’s not a good place to live.
“I just want people to know what it’s like to live here. I wouldn’t advise anyone to contemplate living here, especially if you have young children or you’re ill, you know?”
A Choice Spokesperson said: “The safety of our tenants and the wider community is of paramount importance to us and we are committed to providing secure, affordable, quality housing to meet the diverse needs of our tenants.
“Choice takes all complaints and concerns raised seriously. We record all incidences of anti-social behaviour reported to us and robustly address these in accordance with our Anti-Social Behaviour Policy. Where tenants experience addiction and or mental health issues, we offer targeted support via referrals to relevant specialist support providers.
“The Association provides onsite security at the scheme, with patrols completed throughout the night, to identify and address anti-social behaviour and bodycam footage is retained for evidence purposes. We continue to work closely with the PSNI and other statutory agencies to address suspected criminal activity and encourage tenants to contact the Association and PSNI directly regarding any issue or concern they may have”.
Inspector Gahan from Foyleside and The Moor Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "Everyone has the right to live in peace, and we understand the impact criminal and anti-social activity can have on the community, in particular local residents and businesses.
"Our policing priorities for Derry City & Strabane include tackling violence against women and girls, and the supply and use of illicit drugs. We also work to ensure our towns and city are safe places for people to live, work and visit.
"While there are offences we can and do deal with, there is a wider societal issue here that will not be solved by a policing response alone. To that end, we will continue to work collaboratively with partners to ensure Derry City & Strabane is a safe place for everyone.
"Reporting crimes or incidents that impact on your quality of life helps focus our patrols where they are needed and take positive action.
"Call us on 101, always 999 in an emergency, or report online at www.psni.police.uk/
makeareport or speak directly to your Neighbourhood Team.”
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