Outrage over students using park for sex
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Outrage over students using park for sex
By AARON LEAMAN – Monday, 01 December 2008
Allegations of high school students using a Hamilton park for sex during school hours were heard at a meeting of concerned residents yesterday.
About 50 people attended a community meeting at the Hillcrest Scout Hall to discuss ways of curbing anti-social behaviour at the adjourning Hillcrest Park.
One elderly resident told the gathering that she and her husband had seen teenagers dressed in Hillcrest High School uniform having sex on a park bench.
The woman, who did not want to be named, told the she had lived next to the park for 46 years and was shocked by the teenagers' antics.
On another occasion, students were seen having sex under a park tree. If I'd been there I would have put the hose on them," she said.
"Earlier this year my husband told me he saw two students having sex on a park bench in broad daylight when they should have been at school.
The "lovebirds" didn't make any effort to hide their behaviour, she said.
Residents said they were also concerned about binge drinking and drug use in the park, as well as tagging, rubbish being set on fire and young people doing "burnouts" in the carpark.
Yesterday's meeting was organised by resident group Hillcrest Park Guardians and was sparked by the recent assaults on two 11-year old girls. .
Senior Sergeant Lance Tebbutt urged people at the meeting to report all suspicious or inappropriate behaviour to police.
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The residents group plans to meet with Hamilton City Council staff later this month to identify ways to make the park safer