Neigbours Back Dad Jailed For Attacking Knifeman

Feb 17 2008 By Grace Macaskill

Exclusive Sunday Mail Report Family And Neighbours Unite Behind Doting Father Jailed For Trying To Protect Them From The Teenage Hooligans Terrorising Their Street

TO his family and neighbours, father-of-eight Stephen Armstrong is a hero who stood up to a gang terrorising their quiet cul de sac.

But Stephen was jailed for fighting back against a hooded hooligan who threatened to stab him in front of his children.

Now outraged neighbours - who complained to police about the yobs 39 times - are bravely speaking out and campaigning with Stephen's wife to have his sentence quashed.

He was jailed for three years and eight months after running over a thug who was smashing the windscreen of his van.

Minutes earlier, the same ned had threatened to stab Stephen, 47, as his young children played in the garden of their Glasgow home.

His attacker - who faces charges over the incident - was already wearing a tagging device.

Neighbours yesterday told how their lives were made a misery by a 20-strong gang running riot almost every night.

They smashed cars and windows, threw fireworks and threatened passers-by.

Wife Dorothy described how her life lies in ruins after her husband was caged on Monday.

She said: "He's a decent family man who was protecting his home and children. He acted in self-defence.

"This man had threatened to stab Stephen in front of his children and was smashing our mini van with a baton.

"Stephen says he was petrified. He was shaking, he could hardly get his legs to move and he just wanted to get out of there.

"He shouldn't be in jail.

"When he first got in there, someone asked what he had done. When he told them assault, they said, 'That's great, man.'

"That isn't Stephen - he's not a common criminal. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve any punishment but not this."

Stephen's sentence comes amid growing concern about yob rule.

Three teenagers were jailed for life this month for beating dad Gary Newlove to death.

The 47-year-old had confronted them over damage to his wife's car in Warrington, Cheshire.

Stephen was jailed after a court heard how he drove on to a pavement and knocked down his 22-year-old attacker.

The thug spent six weeks in hospital with a broken leg and collar bone and punctured lung.

Judge Lady Smith said she accepted there had been "serious provocation".

But she added: "You were not entitled to subject him to this terrible assault."

Neighbours on Stephen's street complained to police 39 times in four months.

But they claim little was done to resolve the problems.

Dorothy suffers from arthritis and now faces bringing up their children Stephen, 17, Sean, 15, Christopher, 14, Ryan, 12, Ciaran, 11, Chloe, seven, and four-year-old twins Connor and Emma alone for the next few years.

Dorothy, 39, said: "We just can't believe this has happened.

"The night before Stephen was attacked, he spotted two boys painting graffiti near the steps which read, 'Welcome to Hell'.

"He complained to one of the boys' parents who made the lad paint over it and we thought that was the end of the matter.

"The next night, Stephen was going for burgers when he saw this lad with an older man who came up to my husband and started shouting. The next thing, this stranger pulled a knife and started shoving it at Stephen.

"He told Stephen he would stab him in front of the children unless he went round the corner with him and Stephen stupidly got in the car to meet him there.

"Stephen says this guy went crazy, smashing the van windows.

"Stephen was really frightened and started to drive off when this guy jumped in front of him.

"The attacker said he tried to hide in bushes but my husband came for him. That's not true - Stephen was trying to get away."

Dorothy said the jail sentence had left her children "shattered". She added: "The kids miss him really badly.

"The twins are too young to understand but Stephen was really worried about Chloe as we kept the whole thing from her.

"She is her daddy's little princess and having to explain to her was a nightmare."

Neighbours on Waulkglen Gardens in Southpark Village, near Darnley, told how the gang conducted a reign of terror.

Tariq Minhas, 53, who lives next door, said: "We're all really shocked by Stephen's sentence. We thought he would get community service or a fine.

"This gang have been running this street, wrecking gardens, throwing stones and fireworks and shouting and laughing at everyone who walks past."

Taxi driver Steven Cohen, 48, said: "It could have happened to any one of us. It was a moment of madness.

"The gang haven't been hanging around as much of late but now Stephen is in jail, we fear things will flare up again."

Shafqat Khalil lives nearest the steps where the gang hang out and police fitted a Mosquito noise device to deter the yobs.

Mrs Khalil said: "It doesn't seem to have worked. I was calling the police regularly but they always arrived too late.

"What happened to Stephen is terrible."

Neighbour Linda Martyn had her window hit by a bottle.

She said: "Most of these kids aren't even from this area.

"Stephen stood up to these thugs yet he is the one in jail. It's disgusting."

Officers from Pollok police office cover the area.

Superintendent Gordon Cummings said they work with Glasgow Community Safety Services to provide extra patrols and activities for kids.

He added: "As far as disorder in Southpark is concerned, we are aware of it, monitor it and direct resources to it."

The Armstrong family plan to appeal the sentence. They have set up a petition online at http://petition.nogpl.net.

The neighbours: This gang are holding us to ransom... there's nothing we can do

Resident: Linda Martyn, 48.

Calls to police: 3

Complaints: Smashed window, fireworks thrown, noise levels. Mum-of-two Linda, a hospital manager, said: "We're all totally shocked by Stephen's sentence."

Resident: Steven Cohen, 48, and wife Margaret, 55.

Calls to police: 4

Complaints: Yobs drinking and loitering, vandalism. Taxi driver Steven said: "It used to be a typical suburban street."

Resident: Wai Jai Wong, 32, and wife Jodanna, 28.

Calls to police: 2

Complaints: Late night noise levels waking their children. Wai, an accountant, said: "We should have called the police more."

Resident: Tariq Minhas, 53.

Calls to police: 4

Complaints: Car smashed, broken beer bottles in garden, late-night noise and stolen garden lights. Salesman Tariq said: "This gang are holding our street to ransom."

Resident: Antionette Robertson, 44

Calls to police: 2

Complaints: Car smashed up, graffiti.

Mum-of-two Antionette said: "We pay to live in a nice area and you don't expect this kind of behaviour."

Resident: Shafqat Khalil

Calls to police: 6

Complaints: Noise levels, garden vandalism.

Mum-of-three Shafqat said: "It is happening right on my doorstep and there's nothing we can do."

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