Park now a no-go
LUKE PARKER
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IT HAS been a year since Mitchell Winchcombe, 13, was knocked off his bike and punched by thugs in Starling Park at Ranui.
He is only just starting to get his confidence back.
But the park, notorious as a hot spot for violence and vandalism, remains off limits.
Particularly now after the vicious assault of a 19-year-old man and a 17-year-old woman between 8pm last Saturday and 7am the next day.
The man was found in pools of blood with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.
The woman received multiple facial fractures, extensive bruising and a laceration to her skull.
Both are in a critical but stable condition in intensive care and their recovery will take months.
Mitchell and his mum, Karleen Winchcombe, live opposite the park and are keen to shift to another neighbourhood.
"I don't want my children brought up around here," Ms Winchcombe says. "My son was attacked just a week after we moved here and it was pretty hard on him.
"There are a lot of drunken youngsters, fights, arguments and nonsense going on at the park," she says.
"Especially in the early hours of the morning during the weekends. It's very noisy.
"We'd only been here a month when I looked out my window and saw about five boys no older than 14. One of them was carrying a sword-like knife in his pants.
"There's also a lot of teeny-bopper boy-racers racing along the street. It's a hang-out. Last week there were around 20 boys dressed in red sitting over by the stand next to the baseball area.
"I won't go over there anytime after 4pm," she says. "During the weekdays it's not too bad, but Thursday, Friday, Saturday nights there are big groups of teenagers that congregate over there.
"They are drinking and doing a few other things, too.
"We just keep to ourselves and don't want any trouble."
The park has a long history of problems, including an arson attack on a sports club several years ago.
Police are investigating the latest incident and don't know what motivated the bashing.
Detective sergeant Roger Small urges people to use caution when walking through parks at night.
"They are areas to be avoided if at all possible."
Call Mr Small on 8390653 if you have any information.
- © Fairfax NZ News
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