Asylum seekers trash flat
newsreport | 13.02.2003 23:38
DONT REMOVE, THIS IS FACTUAL NEWS AND PEOPLE NEED TO SEE OTHER SIDES TO WHAT GOES ON.
Asylum seekers trash flat
Flat out ... Iraqis were moved on after trying to wreck this accommodation
By ANDREW PARKER
UNGRATEFUL Iraqi asylum seekers tried to BLOW UP the building where they
were living for free - because it was cramping their love lives.
The five men were put in the accommodation with four sharing two double
rooms.
Furious they had no privacy to bring girls back, they trashed the building.
Then, after thousands of pounds of repairs, they left the gas on for two
days hoping the building would explode.
Neighbours thought the five would be prosecuted or deported.
Instead one has been granted asylum for four years, two have been rehoused
in accommodation where they can be kept under "closer supervision" and two
are believed to have "gone missing".
Last night a woman neighbour said: "They were awful. The place is empty now
for more repairs and we're just praying we get a peaceful family next time."
The Iraqis, aged 18 to 27, stayed in the converted Victorian terrace house
in Winson Green, Birmingham, for nearly four months while their asylum
applications were processed. All their bills were paid.
Yet they KICKED and PUNCHED holes in plasterwork and TORE doors from their
hinges.
Workers from Accommodata - which houses refugees in cities across Britain -
carried out emergency repairs and warned the men about their behaviour. Then
last week the Iraqis left on the gas cooker while they were out.
They were challenged about it, but told a stunned builder: "It's on to blow
the f***ing house up." They were warned an explosion could have been
disastrous but replied: "So what?"
Thrown out ... matresses and rubbish pile up
at the rear of the premises
Workers installed an electric cooker but the Iraqis went on the rampage
AGAIN - damaging walls and doors and burning carpets with an iron and
cooking pots.
New beds were piled at the back of the house as the Iraqis preferred
sleeping on blankets.
And a Sky dish was hung halfway up the stairs from a live cable while they
tried to steal satellite telly. The five were finally moved out so the
accommodation, over a kitchen appliance shop, could be repaired once more.
Meanwhile neighbours enjoyed the respite. One young mum, who did not want to
be named for fear of reprisals, said: "You expect a bit of noise and
nuisance from a group of young lads but these were constant trouble.
"There were often girls coming and going and the men made it known they were
fed up having to share bedrooms because they wanted the girls to move in."
An elderly man said: "The fact is people don't care about property or big
bills if they are getting it all for free."
TONY Blair yesterday insisted in the Commons it was his "firm commitment" to
cut the number of asylum seekers. Earlier a Downing Street spokesman had
said it was "an aspiration" and not a promise.
And in Gosport, Hants, estate agents said residents are rushing to sell
their homes after it emerged a former airbase will house 400 male asylum
seekers.
Asylum seekers trash flat
Flat out ... Iraqis were moved on after trying to wreck this accommodation
By ANDREW PARKER
UNGRATEFUL Iraqi asylum seekers tried to BLOW UP the building where they
were living for free - because it was cramping their love lives.
The five men were put in the accommodation with four sharing two double
rooms.
Furious they had no privacy to bring girls back, they trashed the building.
Then, after thousands of pounds of repairs, they left the gas on for two
days hoping the building would explode.
Neighbours thought the five would be prosecuted or deported.
Instead one has been granted asylum for four years, two have been rehoused
in accommodation where they can be kept under "closer supervision" and two
are believed to have "gone missing".
Last night a woman neighbour said: "They were awful. The place is empty now
for more repairs and we're just praying we get a peaceful family next time."
The Iraqis, aged 18 to 27, stayed in the converted Victorian terrace house
in Winson Green, Birmingham, for nearly four months while their asylum
applications were processed. All their bills were paid.
Yet they KICKED and PUNCHED holes in plasterwork and TORE doors from their
hinges.
Workers from Accommodata - which houses refugees in cities across Britain -
carried out emergency repairs and warned the men about their behaviour. Then
last week the Iraqis left on the gas cooker while they were out.
They were challenged about it, but told a stunned builder: "It's on to blow
the f***ing house up." They were warned an explosion could have been
disastrous but replied: "So what?"
Thrown out ... matresses and rubbish pile up
at the rear of the premises
Workers installed an electric cooker but the Iraqis went on the rampage
AGAIN - damaging walls and doors and burning carpets with an iron and
cooking pots.
New beds were piled at the back of the house as the Iraqis preferred
sleeping on blankets.
And a Sky dish was hung halfway up the stairs from a live cable while they
tried to steal satellite telly. The five were finally moved out so the
accommodation, over a kitchen appliance shop, could be repaired once more.
Meanwhile neighbours enjoyed the respite. One young mum, who did not want to
be named for fear of reprisals, said: "You expect a bit of noise and
nuisance from a group of young lads but these were constant trouble.
"There were often girls coming and going and the men made it known they were
fed up having to share bedrooms because they wanted the girls to move in."
An elderly man said: "The fact is people don't care about property or big
bills if they are getting it all for free."
TONY Blair yesterday insisted in the Commons it was his "firm commitment" to
cut the number of asylum seekers. Earlier a Downing Street spokesman had
said it was "an aspiration" and not a promise.
And in Gosport, Hants, estate agents said residents are rushing to sell
their homes after it emerged a former airbase will house 400 male asylum
seekers.
newsreport