Letters / Disgraceful intimidating behaviour

As a bairn growing up in the crofting world of Walls, my memories are of a community of generous people who valued and practiced a very collective way of helping each other.

The community shared plant and equipment for the tractor side of things and helped with the various crofting activities from peats, to gathering tatties, making hay etc etc. That community spirit is still largely practiced and valued to this day.

Sadly, there is a dark side, a dark behaviour carried out in the darkness of night. My 82-year-old crofting mother has lately become the victim of a sustained campaign of vandalism to her fences, gates, silage bales that has now escalated to theft of her property with considerable value.

This is obviously carried out by much younger people and can be described as intimidation, theft, vandalism, bullying and harassment of an 82-year-old who is trying to do some crofting with sheep.

Her efforts should be applauded, and usually are. It’s unbelievable that we live with people like this in our midst, my thoughts about them would never beprinted.

Silence is also practiced within the community, and for the perpetrators, is their greatest asset. I would ask people who are also victims to report to the police any similar activity and suspicious behaviour immediately; it’s the only way to highlight and hopefully end this.

It would be good to think that the community spirit already mentioned could prevail and end this disgraceful intimidating behaviour aimed at an elderly woman who is continuing to croft and would help anyone in need.

Jim Fraser
Tresta