January 25, 2012
Scotland

Terrorised for 18 months

Barrhead News, Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Sinister threats and 18 months of terrifying harassment has left Uplawmoor residents scared for their safety.

Victims of the relentless abuse have been caught up in a vicious land rights vendetta since summer 2010, but now they have had enough.

Dead rats have been left in open view in a yard, and broken glass scattered across a field used by horses.

Outside taps have been turned on overnight to drain private water tanks and bur out fuel pumps.

Horses’ anti-fly coats have been cut off and slashed in pieces and several cars have been vandalised too.

In the worst case a teenager was threatened, and told to tell anyone who might consider objecting to a particular scheme they would be “seriously hurt”.

the victims have taken their complaints to police, but now they want to “let the world know” the misery they’ve been through.

The Barrhead News has been handed a damning list of sickening acts carried out against villagers who are known to be active in the battle to stop the area’s under-siege greenbelt land from being swallowed up by development.

Over the last year local campaigns have been launched in a bid to stem the tide of new wind turbines and housing schemes.

And while there is no suggestion companies regularly listed in planning applications are involved in any way, the victims of the attacks say some people “won’t tolerate objection” in any form.

It’s understood around seven families have been directly targeted by people determined to silence opposition to controversial plans.

One of the victims, former civil servant Aileen Jackson, is at pains to stress she is not referring to people such as the owner of a nearby Proven-type wind turbine.

She may have problems with it being there, she says, but the people behind it are “helpful and courteous”.

Aileen told the Barrhead News: “The reason the Uplawmoor Wind Turbine Protest Group was formed was because many residents are opposed to the turbine developments for many various reasons, but are afraid to object as their names and addresses are published on the council website. There are residents who are scared their property will be vandalised, that they’ll suffer verbal abuse, and that their children and grandchildren will be bullied.

“They’re worried their businesses could be hit, and that frail, elderly relatives could also be targeted. The problems some residents have encountered have been known for many months to some community council members.

“But it is now so bad it has to be made public knowledge in the hope the perpetrators will think twice about their bullying tactics.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/25/terrorised-for-18-months/