Young negotiators to work with gangs (From Haringey Independent)

Young negotiators to work with gangs

8:23am Friday 9th May 2008 in Feature Focus By Caron Kemp

Last September, three Somali gang members from Haringey were sentenced to a total of nearly 12 years in prison for their part in the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old student.

Mahir Osman was repeatedly stabbed in the back close to Camden Town Tube station, on January 28, 2006.

The convictions mean a total of 13 people are serving custodial sentences in connection with Mr Osman's murder.

Police believe the group were involved in a dispute with a rival Somali gang from Camden, known as the Centric Gang or Centric Boys.

Gun and knife crime caused the deaths of 26 teenagers in London last year, compared to 17 in 2006. So far this year this type of violent crime has contributed to the death of nine teenagers.

Over the years Haringey has seen its fair share of gang-related crime.

In May 2005, 22-year-old Andre Linton of Tottenham was shot dead in Buller Road, Wood Green, when he became caught in a turf war between rival gangs in Haringey.

Jermaine Campbell, the 19-year-old leader of a six-strong street gang, was sentenced at the Old Bailey to 25 years in prison in February 2006, but five other gang members are still at large.

And in July 2006 Romanian Iosif Baboschi, 26, was jailed for life for organising an attack on a rival gang member on the streets of Bounds Green in January the previous year, which resulted in the murder of his fellow countryman Eugen Breahna.

Mr Breahna, 26, attempted to evade Baboschi's 20-strong gang, who were armed with baseball bats and golf clubs, by hiding in an ambulance in Bounds Green Road.

But several gang members followed Mr Breahna into the back of the ambulance, where they battered him in front of a horrified paramedic. He died in hospital the next day.

But now the London Councils organisation is fighting back against gang crime and has awarded the London Action Trust charity a £221,349 grant. The funding will help to train young people to mediate between rival factions and, it is hoped, prevent disputes escalating into violent crime.

London Action Trust will spend the grant in seven boroughs across the capital including Haringey.

Councillor Paul McCannah, chairman of London Councils grants committee, said: "The projects we have commissioned are aimed at helping to break the myth that crime is a glamorous lifestyle.

"If we can achieve this, not only will it help reduce the numbers of youth-related deaths and crimes, but also help our young people build better futures for themselves."

Chosen alongside Brent, Enfield, Hackney, Islington, Newham and Waltham Forest as a London borough heavily affected by gang crime, the scheme aims to help Haringey's youth enjoy their childhood - instead of feeling that their only options are to join a gang and turn to crime.

The scheme, initially funded for four years, has the support of Haringey Council.

Councillor Nilgun Canver, cabinet member for enforcement and safer communities, said: "We are always looking at new ways of dealing with any form of antisocial behaviour, and believe working with groups that have a good track record in delivering these services can help engage young people in the debate."

But Councillor Ron Aitken, Liberal Democrat crime spokesman, does not believe this is enough to tackle the growing gang culture problem in the borough.

He said: "I am sceptical whether such a modest sum of money spread across seven boroughs will make a difference.

"Unfortunately Haringey doesn't have a good record of providing real opportunities on the ground to keep young people away from gangs and violent crime."

London Action Trust was one of four charity schemes chosen from 27 applications to tackle youth-related crime.

Also receiving funding is The Princes Trust which will get £135,748 to run anti-knife, guns, and gangs workshops.

The Comedy School will receive £117,800 to expand the It's No Joke project, which aims to raise awareness of the consequences of knife crime among teenagers.

Finally, Fairbridge will receive £224,942 to develop action plans to help divert young people away from crime.