Mum, 24, says finding drug addicts passed out in tower block where she lives with her five-month-old daughter is a ‘daily occurrence’
The concerned mum walks her daughter, Ruby, past people injecting and smoking drugs before they pass out in the stairwell
A YOUNG mum says she finds drug addicts passed out in the tower block where she lives with her five-month-old daughter daily.
Margaret Reilly, 24, often sees dirty needles and used spoons in the building in Coatbridge, Scotland.
The concerned mum walks her daughter, Ruby, past people injecting and smoking drugs before they pass out in the stairwell.
She insists she has told North Lanarkshire Council about her concerns, which are shared by neighbours.
She said: “I don’t know why but over the last six months there have been so many drug addicts using this building.
“There are now daily incidents where I and other residents are witnessing people injecting and smoking drugs and then lying passed-out on the stairwells.
“They then leave their dirty needles and other items lying around and urinate all over the stairwells where I walk with my daughter.
“I’ve reported this on numerous occasions to North Lanarkshire Council but I’ve been told unless my daughter or I are specifically targeted then they can’t intervene.
“They seem willing to wait until somebody comes to harm from this before they do anything.
“My landing has been smashed up on many occasions, leaving broken glass and blood all over the floor. All it takes is for us to slip, trip, be spat on or have a needle thrown at us.
“I shout and bawl at them to leave but they’re back the next day.”
Margaret says her requests to be rehoused elsewhere have been refused, adding: “I’m not prepared to bring my daughter up in a place like this.
“I’d rather live in a tent than do that. It’s a living hell. These people using our building to shoot up drugs are completely out of order but so is North Lanarkshire Council for not even trying to put an end to it.”
The worried mum said there is a buzzer system to let visitors in and out of the building, so she suspects someone is letting them in or they wait until the door opens and wander in.
Stephen Llewellyn, the council’s head of housing solutions, said: “We carry out regular inspections at Merryston Court and the standard of cleanliness at this tower is of a high standard for residents.
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“There have been no syringes, blood or other drug-related materials found.
“Where isolated incidents of litter have been reported our officers have and will continue to take immediate action.”
Inspector Louise Brownlie said: “Monklands police would urge members of the public to contact police to report all types of anti-social behaviour, including drug misuse, to both police and North Lanarkshire Council.”
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