A “miffed” police sergeant’s Facebook post lamenting a group of teenagers’ attack on a pensioner and urging parents to control their “darling, drunken kids” has gone viral.
And as a result, Lancashire Police Sergeant Lindsay Brown, has become “more philosophical”.
Brown, who is based in Morecambe Bay, wrote a lengthily Facebook post on Sunday after a 50-strong group of youths terrorised the seaside village of Heysham the previous night.
They trampled flower beds, trashed the bus shelter, smashed up a shop window and then assaulted a 75-year-old man who stood up to them.
The pensioner was “punched in the face, dragged to the floor and kicked in the head for no other reason than being there,” Brown wrote.
The sergeant urged parents to question their children’s plans, writing: “So when your darling son or daughter says ‘I’m going out tonight with my mates and I’m staying at whoever’s house’, ask yourself - are they really?”
The post, which ended by telling the youths involved that they would likely be caught, was liked by over 2,600 people and prompted some 730 comments, many expressing disillusionment with the youth of today.
Michelle Brown wrote: “The buck stops with the parents. Disgraceful behaviour. There’s no discipline today and more importantly, a lack of respect for people or property.”
Brown made a subsequent post on Monday saying he would “be here all day If I were to attempt to reply” to all the comments his first post had prompted.
He then proceeded to provide an update on the police investigation.
Brown said the pensioner who had been assaulted was “on the mend” and was “made of harder stuff than his assailants”.
Two youths arrested over the incident had been bailed. Brown said many of the others teenagers present during the rampage had not participated in the vandalism.
Brown wrote: “I’ve watched the CCTV of the incident and was sickened as many of you are by the unprovoked nature of what went on.
“I know many of you feel very strongly about what should happen to those involved and I share some of your thoughts, however, I have to remind myself that the vast majority of young people there were just that, just there.
“In fact we’ve had a very thought provoking email from a young person who was there, was not directly involved in what went on but spoke with a maturity beyond their years of how disgusted they were, apologising for the behaviour of others.”
Brown said he was pleased his initial post had “generated so much comment” and said he hoped it would prompt parents to “talk about it with your kids, friends, relatives or colleagues and maybe, just maybe, parents will check up on their kids and what they’re doing, discourage them from wandering the streets”.
He continued: “They might even take them down the GYM instead or watch a film.
“Our district might have a quieter autumn. However, if they don’t, as with every night of the week, we’ll be on duty and doing our best with what we’ve got.”
Brown signed the post off with a hashtag which referred to himself as the “slightly less miffed, more philosophical today sergeant”.