July 8, 200818 yr Pensioner facing jail after chasing stone-throwing yobs off his property with a plank of wood By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 11:55 AM on 08th July 2008 Comments (13) Add to My Stories A pensioner who used a plank of wood to chase off yobs throwing stones at his home is facing jail after being arrested and charged with possessing an offensive weapon. Father-of-two Sydney Davis dialled 999 when his home came under attack, but was forced to take action himself when officers failed to arrive more than two hours later. He grabbed a section of wood from a broken-up old sofa in his front garden and chased the youths down the street - just as police officers finally arrived. But to his horror, the officers arrested him while the group of youths ran off down the street. Sydney Davis, pictured with son Jimmy, has been arrested and charged with carrying an offensive weapon after chasing stone-throwing yobs off his property with a plank of wood Mr Davis, 65, has now been charged with carrying an offensive weapon and faces up to six months in prison if convicted. The retired builder blasted the police and British legal system for persecuting the innocent while yobs are allowed to run riot. Mr Davis - whose windows have been smashed five times in eight months - said: 'Something needs to be done to stop these kids. They are out there every night. 'This is an on-going thing. I have seen cars being damaged and windows being put through. 'One of my neighbours even had a seven-month-old baby in their kitchen when a brick came through the window. It showered glass across the baby's face. 'When these kids see the police they are off through the alleyways. The police have got no chance of catching them.' Mr Davis' ordeal began on July 2 when a local gang started pelting homes in Pinehurst, Swindon, Wilts., with stones, sticks, mud and eggs. His wife Pauline, 42, and young sons Peter, seven, and Jimmy, five, cowered behind the sofa as the windows were hit by a flurry of missiles. But despite contacting the police at 6pm, officers did not arrive until 8.30pm - leaving Mr Davis no choice but to protect his family and property himself. He said: 'My wife called the police at 6 o'clock. But they just kept on throwing stones through my back gate. 'I left the back door open to stop them smashing it. I have two kids and if one of those stones hit them it could have caused some really nasty damage. 'Suddenly a really big rock came crashing into the kitchen. I just grabbed the stick, which was the nearest thing I could find, and chased them off. 'The police turned up just as I was chasing them. As a result I was arrested, but they didn't arrest any of them.' Mr Davis was handcuffed and led away to the cells, where he was later charged. Wiltshire police claim to have stepped up their patrols after two houses in the region were attacked by arsonists. Officers' shift patterns were also changed so they would be in the neighbourhood after dark, while the local council is considering blocking-off some of the alleyways. Wiltshire Police confirmed that Mr Davis was charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and that no youngsters were arrested in relation to the incident.
Create an account or sign in to comment