A teenage girl gang who threatened to kill a shopkeeper and allegedly hurled racist abuse at other business owners have refused to show any remorse for their vile behaviour.
In August, the Daily Mail exclusively revealed how the gang had turned the once-thriving Shirley high street in Southampton into a ‘warzone’ – with their 14-year-old ringleader boasting she is ‘untouchable’ because police refuse to step in.
Victims told how they have been called ‘Black c***’ and ‘Black stupid f***** b**ch’, with some told to ‘go back to your country’ by the feral teens who threw knives inside shops, daubed cartoon penises on walls and pelted eggs at stunned passers-by.
One of the worst-hit traders is Muhammad Usman, who runs Phone Hub, a mobile and electronics shop.
He told how the gang had stolen vape kits and accessories, hurled knives inside the store, and accused him of being a paedophile when he tried to film the damage.
Shocking video footage obtained by the Daily Mail showed the ringleader giggling with her friends, threatening to ‘shank’ Mohammad and continuously mocking his accent.
Mr Usman was almost brought to tears after enduring months of physical and mental abuse at the hands of brazen teenagers who tried to bully him into silence by claiming ‘the police are never going to help you’.
Pictured: One of the thieving teenagers taking an item from Subway. The pack of girls have been accused of attempting to steal from the shop on several occasions
Muhammad Usman, who owns the Phone Hub in Shirley, had endured months of physical and mental abuse from the gang of teen yobs
Pictured: A smashed door to a Subway shop on Shirley High Street that cost the branch £1000 to repair
‘It’s getting worse, day by day,’ Mr Usman told the BBC. ‘I have never had this kind of experience in my life before. We’re feeling so helpless.’
Mr Usman claims police officers are either unwilling or lack the power to do anything about the gang, who now think they are ‘above the law’.
The girls themselves have ‘no sympathy’ for those they torment and refuse to apologise for their behaviour, which they justify as a way of taking their anger out.
One 14-year-old admitted threatening people and hitting people, saying that being in trouble with the police gives her an ‘adrenaline boost’.
‘I’m not claiming to be innocent because I’m not. I’ve threatened people and I’ve hit people, I’ll admit to that,’ she told a reporter. ‘I regret what I do, but I don’t say sorry.’
But the girl, who admitted drinking and also vapes, denied hurling any racist abuse. ‘I tell you now I ain’t been racist. I’m not a racist girl. I’ve literally beaten another girl up for being racist,’ she said.
Another girl also chimed in, saying she knows what they are doing is wrong but ‘we’re teenage kids, we’re going to have a bit of fun.’
‘I’m sorry for most of the people we have damaged, but I have no sympathy… it’s just one way of taking my anger out,’ she added.
It seems they haven’t fully comprehended the impact that their reckless behaviour is having on their victims.
‘Every time I hear someone shouting I flinch,’ Mr Usman told the Daily Mail. ‘I feel depressed. I don’t feel safe at home or walking down the street. I complain to the police all the time but they say it’s not an emergency.’
On other occasions, footage shows girls drunkenly slurring obscenities at shop keepers, snatching cookies from behind the counter at Subway and even shattering the glass door with a singular kick.
Nnenna Okonkwo opened her independent food store on one of Southampton’s busiest high streets a year ago, hoping to welcome new customers and provide products that the community would not have been able to find elsewhere.
Instead, the mob show up at Sunnyday International Foods to harass her everyday.
Pictured: One of the teens flipping off the manager of Phone Hub, which is owned by Muhammad
One of the girls is seen speaking to BBC reporter, during which she admitted threatening people and hitting people
Nnenna explained that their vendetta against her started in May when she defended an elderly lady after her trolley was snatched by the girls.
In retaliation, the gang smashed Nnenna’s windows and ensure customers are too scared to enter the store.
‘I’m always anxious, worried and looking over my shoulder,’ she quivered. ‘My anxiety level is way off and my blood pressure is higher than normal.’
‘The most surprising thing is it’s not boys. It’s the main girl that has been harassing me and my customers. When I’m not in the store she asks my assistant where I am, when she spots me all hell breaks loose.
The group also target retailers after work – following them as they walk home and waiting at their bus stops.
The disorder has got worse since the school holidays started as parents turn a blind eye while their kids saunter around town stealing, explained Nanni Sheaik the manager of Subway.
The girls have repeatedly broken the drink dispenser and cookie cabinet, ignoring the shields that Nanni was forced to install as a precaution.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s hard to work here, the girl is crazy. Because of her we have to lock the doors to the shop. They think they’re playing a game but they’re ruining our lives.’
Nnenna Okonkwo (pictured) had the windows to her food store smashed by the gang, causing thousands of pounds of damage
Nanni Sheaik (pictured) the manager of Subway, was forced to install shields at the store to prevent the girls from stealing items
Sunny Khaira, the owner of Subway claimed the police are hiding behind public nuisance as an excuse. ‘It’s like a warzone,’ he said.
Resident Tony Weafer also believes the police don’t care about protecting the community. He said: ‘I spoke to the kids and they said the police can’t touch us.’
Tony believes the responsibility for the kids’ behaviour is down to their parents.
Meanwhile, shopkeeper Andrea Balmer thinks the police are making excuses for the ringleader because she has a hard home life while others claim the age of the group has made them ‘invincible’.
Agather Okoye, who works at Sunnyday International Foods said nothing can excuse the groups behaviour.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘I’m always afraid of what’s going to happen next, it’s not an easy job.
‘They call me a black b**ch.
‘Because of them I’m afraid to be alone.’
Agather Okoye, who works at Sunnyday International Foods (pictured) said nothing can excuse the groups behaviour
Hampshire’s police and crime commissioner (PCC) Donna Jones believes police need to change tact when dealing with
‘I think the response from the police, to be absolutely honest with you, has been to take a slightly slower approach but some of these young people are committing some really horrible, nasty offences,’ she told the BBC.
Ms Jones added there needs to be a change in legislation to make parents more accountable for the actions of their children.
Labour announced last year that it is drawing up new laws to create ‘respect orders’ plus enhanced police powers to confiscate nuisance vehicles, including e-scooters and e-bikes ridden dangerously on the pavement.
Yobs will be handed the new type of order by a civil court and breaches could lead to immediate arrest and a jail sentence.
However, respect orders will be less wide-ranging than their predecessor – anti-social behaviour orders – which were introduced by Tony Blair‘s government in 1998 and scrapped by the Coalition government in 2014.
Asbos applied to anyone over the age of 10 and carried up to five years’ imprisonment, but Labour’s new measure will only be imposed on adults and carry a maximum two-year term.
‘Respect orders will give police and councils the powers they need to crack down on repeated anti-social behaviour, keeping our communities safe and ensuring repeat offenders face the consequences of their actions,’ former Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said last year.
In August Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary charged a 14-year-old girl from Southampton with two counts of assault, one of criminal damage, one of arson and one of breaching a section 35 dispersal order.
She was due to appear at Southampton Youth Court on September 1, while the force said it was also liaising with the CPS about further alleged offences.
The Daily Mail has contacted Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary for comment.
A spokesperson for the force said in a previous statement: ‘Our local neighbourhood policing team has been conducting an increased number of patrols, with particular focus during peak times when groups of young people are known to gather. These patrols are aimed at engaging proactively with individuals to deter disruptive behaviour before it escalates.
‘Whenever an incident is reported, our control room are looking to deploy teams to respond as soon as possible, as was done last night (July 31) when we were called and officers attended where a 14-year-old girl was arrested as part of our response.
‘We are actively working with partner agencies and have been in contact with parents and guardians to address the behaviour of this small group, and its impact on the community.
‘Our dedicated neighborhood officers and local bobby for Shirley, continue to maintain a strong presence on the high street. They regularly liaises with residents and business owners to ensure concerns are heard, and that updates and support are provided as part of our ongoing efforts.
‘We remain committed to responding swiftly to reported incidents and encourage anyone affected to continue reporting issues to us. Community intelligence is vital in helping us take appropriate action and build a safer environment for everyone.’
