Bristol: Kingsdown residents' lives 'ruined by drug users'

Residents at a block of flats say drug users and dealers have turned the building into "the wild west".

People living at Carolina House in Kingsdown, Bristol, said they find needles on the floor daily.

"My wife's been attacked several times. It's barbaric," said John - not his real name.

Bristol City Council, which owns and runs the building, said it was working with the police to tackle issues of crime and anti-social behaviour.

Several tenants told the BBC that dealers had been selling drugs at Carolina House for years and John said the drug activity was "non-stop".

"It's like a continuous loop. Every day there's needles on the floor, blood the floor," John - who has lived there for six years - said.

"We take our children to school in the morning and you'd have people passed out. It's like the wild west.

"When the police arrest somebody it stops for half a day but then it starts again because someone picks up the slack so it's literally a revolving carousel of people. And the people who live here, it just ruins their lives. It's horrible. They're stuck in this vile situation," he added.

Councillor Ani Stafford-Townsend said: "It's not just a problem in this particular block, it is a problem in blocks across the city as well.

"There are over 100 people who have contacted me independently about issues in their own homes in blocks across the ward. It's a big problem and it's a rising problem as well."

Avon and Somerset Police said they regularly patrol the area and asked more people to report crime so they could investigate.

Insp Adam Dolling said: "We've had a couple of really successful jobs following a drugs warrant where we arrested somebody and also we're in the throes of taking that person to court."

He added that on another occasion they seized a quantity of drugs, but had been unable to identify the person or people responsible.

Bristol City Council said it will take steps to resolve any issues that are highlighted by residents.

"We have been monitoring issues of anti-social behaviour and are working closely with partners and our own Streetwise team to help resolve these problems, along with regular police patrols and a recent short trial of security guard patrols," a spokesperson added.

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