YOUNG PEOPLE LIVING IN FEAR OF BULLY BOYS

Teens using addiction centre abused & peed on | 65% coming from drug & drink problem families

- SEAN MCCARTHAIGH

YOUTHS attending a specialist addiction treatment centre have reported an increasing trend of gangs who bully, threaten and intimidate.

The latest annual report of the HSE's Adolescent Addiction Service said the prevalence of such thugs, which involved both males and females, was "an emerging and worrying feature of youth activity in some communities.

The report claimed service users reporting gang members would force other young people to kiss their shoes or the ground in order to let them pass or pull hats off their head or urinate on them.

It said some gangs were also challenging adults including gardai.