NI school children fire snowballs at elderly women

The witness described mayhem at Cookstown Leisure Centre yesterday (Thursday) when a gang of teenagers wearing Cookstown High School uniforms was ‘running rampant’.

The crowd of both girls and boys, aged between 16 and 18, were causing trouble both inside and outside the leisure centre around lunchtime, she explained.

The woman, who didn’t want to be named, said that pupils inside the centre (in the cafe area) were very intimidating to others and several people left.

She added that outside the centre a group of girls and boys, in Cookstown High School uniforms, were seen firing snowballs at a number of elderly people.

“One young woman, who had left the cafe due to feeling intimidated, was shocked that the pupils were attacking the elderly.

“She confronted them and told them to stop.

“However the pupils then turned on her and attacked her car - firing snowballs at the car as she was leaving the centre,” said the witness.

She added that the pupils even stopped at one stage, stood and smirked at the young woman who had confronted them.

The witness who called the Mid Ulster Mail was very upset at the school pupils’ behaviour.

“They had no control over themselves. They were giving very bad manners and were very intimidating.

“These young people had absolutely no respect for their elders. They should not be allowed near the leisure centre again,” she said, adding that she thinks the council should check the CCTV footage of the incidents.

A spokesperson for Mid Ulster Council, which runs Cookstown Leisure Centre, said: “We can confirm that the Centre’s Duty manager was made aware of the incident yesterday after the pupils had left the building. Contact has been subsequently made with the school to address the issue.”

The Principal of Cookstown High School said: “The school is aware of an issue involving pupils at Cookstown Leisure Centre.

“As a school community we encourage respect for others and have reminded pupils of the school’s Code of Conduct.

“We take matters of this nature very seriously and any issues are dealt with through our Positive Behaviour Policy.”