Gangs: The East Midlands Story
10 April 2012, 06:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
Capital has carried out a three month investigation into gangs in the East Midlands. How many are there? What are there ages? and Why?
We travelled around Nottingham, Leicester and Derby and found out there are eight gangs in total. Five of which are in Nottingham, three in Derby and none in Leicester. The main business that in each gang in Nottingham and Derby is drugs and unofficial research from support groups in the city suggest the youngest person involved is just 10 years old.
Nottingham
Our investigation in Nottingham started by speaking to the GAP project,a gang avoidance project in the city:" The unofficial statistics is that we have children as young as 10 selling drugs like Cannabis to order, you know why are they out on the streets late at night and connecting with the wrong types of peers group." David Mitchell, Gapp Manager.
" We are fully aware the police are trying to do everything they can, but it is a difficult job because communities and parents don't feel safe communicating issues to the police because of fears of reprisals.
"Just the whole case of drugs is a big issue for everybody and it does sit under a gang banner."
Hear more about the GAP project below:
Capital was told there are 5 main gangs in the city, but the three most commonly known ones are the Brewster Crew , the Rad MPR Gang, and the Waterfront Gang.
Sarah Day is the operations manager for a new multi agency team set up in the city to look into the issue of gangs.
Derby
Derby has three recognised gangs in the city they are the called A1, 38 Estate and the YBCT. Capital was told ultimately they are gangs that have a criminal element linked to them mainly,like Nottingham, around drugs.
Hear what Derbyshire Police told Capital below:
Leicester
There are no official gangs in the city of Leicester, support groups we spoke to told there are postcode rivalries but it is not on the scale as it's neighbouring cities of Nottingham and Derby.
Hear from Leicestershire Police below:
