Drug users reported in Conwy churchyard

Sep 19 2008 By Staff Reporter

DRUG users hanging around Conwy town centre are frightening shopkeepers who are even closing up early because of the gang.

Shop staff say they are terrified of the mob who have been reported to police for loitering in and around St Mary’s churchyard and an alley on the town’s High Street. Shopkeepers are too intimidated to be named in case of reprisals but say they’ve called the police on several occasions to no avail.

On further investigation the Weekly News visited the churchyard and found drug paraphernalia in a quiet corner of the cemetery and also witnessed suspicious activity by two men, which was reported to police.

One 31-year-old trader complained: “They are hanging around on their mobiles in the alley by Woolworths. I don’t want them in Conwy, we’ve never had drug abusers in Conwy hanging around the streets. We’ve families coming here with their kids and they don’t want to see them. I’ve called the police several times but nothing has happened, they haven’t turned up. And a couple of my customers have phoned the police.”

A worker in Woolworths revealed the store had even closed early because staff had been unnerved by the presence of a gang of undesirables. “We closed early one night because the staff were frightened, we don’t like the look of them.”

Another shop assistant also working on the High Street said she was afraid to walk to her car after dark.

“I don’t want to be named in case my windows are smashed,” she said. “Between 2pm-4pm they are waiting around for their drugs, there are queues of people waiting for their drugs. It is starting to get darker and I’m afraid to walk to my car.”

Insp Andrew Broadhead of North Wales Police said the matter was being investigated. “We are aware of the problems in the area and are working to combat it at the moment,” he said.