Protesters in new probation office demo

Jun 28 2007 By Adam Smith, Birmingham Mail

FORTY protesters ignored the rain to mount another demonstration outside Birmingham's newest probation office.

And the protesters, led by mother-of-three Tracy Hemming, claimed that they were abused by a worker at the centre on Mackadown Lane in Kitts Green.

She said: "We have had a good turn out but there probably would have been more if the weather had not been so bad.

"However, the protest was marred by someone from the centre abusing us and throwing a whistle at us.

"We have contacted the police and we have a crime number meaning that this is another incident in our area that can be laid at the door of this centre."

The protesters will hold a public meeting at the nearby Mirfield Centre tonight, at 7pm, and have invited politicians and probation officials.

"We wanted Gerry Sutcliffe, the Government minister responsible for the centre, to come but we have not had a reply and chief probation officer Hilary Thomson has told us she cannot come because of family issues. Hopefully, our MP Liam Byrne will be coming," she said.

The group has raised an 8,000-name petition and demonstrated outside the Home Office in London.

The parents are furious the centre is less than a mile away from Gossey Lane Junior and Infants, Shirestone Junior and Infants, and Our Lady RC Primary because of fears sex offenders will be reporting there.

After tonight's meeting, the campaigners also plan a further protest outside the centre on Friday afternoon.

No-one was immediately available for comment from West Midlands Probation Service.