Mum hits out at ‘vile’ youths who poured beer down slide as daughter plays in Union Terrace Gardens

A mum has described the moment youths poured beer on the slide her young daughter was playing on.

Taylor-Allana Gowie and her four-year-old daughter were playing in Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen when the incident happened on Sunday.

She says they were both verbally abused.

In a Facebook post, the mum said her “polite little girl” was going down a slide and once she came off the bottom, a group of teens – believed to be aged between 15-16 – poured bottles of beer down it.

This meant that Ms Gowie’s daughter could no longer play on it.

However, this was not the end of it, as she says the youths then started swearing and gave rude gestures to them.

She wrote:”This is not in anyway acceptable and the council have apparently improved this area making it a ‘nice place to be’.

“If this is your teen, this is in no way an acceptable way to be behaving, it’s vile.”

UTG challenges

Since Union Terrace Gardens (UTG) – which took three years to refurbish – reopened days before Christmas last year, there has been repeated concern about antisocial behaviour.

In January, a video showed a group of youths fighting under the halo light – which was installed as part of the refurbishment – .

CCTV is expected to be installed in the gardens, but Aberdeen City Council has refused to reveal when incase it “encourages crime”.

Divisional commander Chief Superintendent Graeme Mackie said that “creative solutions” are needed to prevent youths from causing trouble in the city.

At a summit held on the future of Union Street in November, police revealed that introduction of free bus travel for under-22s was attracting youths from as far away as Tayside to cause “mayhem” in the city centre, including UTG.

‘Robust approach’

Chief Inspector David Paterson, area commander for Aberdeen South said: “The Safer City Unit, supported by the city centre community policing team continue to monitor Union Terrace Gardens as part of our pro-active city centre policing plans.

“Officers continue to take a robust approach to antisocial behaviour. Thankfully, the vast majority of reported incidents are lower level and fall short of criminality.

“We continue to work with partners from the local authority, retail, hospitality and third sectors in an effort to deter, detect and divert those intent on causing antisocial issues.”

An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman added: “We continue to work with partners and stakeholders to deter and address anti-social behaviour across the city and city centre.”