Mums' Army: Stories of antisocial behaviour

Almost two years ago, Sue Bird’s adult son was attacked by yobs with a claw hammer. When the gang’s 20-year-old leader was jailed, it was revealed that he had 40 previous convictions. Sue, 50, who has four children, says: ‘Punishments need to be far tougher. I was completely horrified that one human being could do that to another. My son nearly died — if the boy who attacked him had been imprisoned sooner for all his previous crimes, this wouldn’t have happened. There needs to be more respect in our communities and I want to take positive steps to make sure this kind of violence is stamped out.’
Sue Bird,
Teignbridge, Devon
E-mail: susiembird@hotmail.com