A Perthshire grandmother has said her life is like “living in hell” because of issues on her street.
Patsy Stewart claims she has become a prisoner in her own home at Corlundy Crescent in Crieff due to drug activity, violence on the street and pounding noise that keep her up at night.
After growing up in a Perthshire Traveller community, Patsy has, for the past four years, lived on the bottom floor of a four-block flat building in Corlundy Crescent.
But Patsy, who was forced to give up work due to a debilitating lung condition, says her time there has been so traumatic it has forced her to take anti-depressants.
“It’s all drug and alcohol related - and it’s getting worse,” she said.
“I have stood at my window and I have witnessed fights out there.
“Boys and men staggering in the street with alcohol in their hands fighting and smashing bottles and I get scared.
“Even though the doors are locked up, constantly I get scared.
“In the middle of the night, I witnessed a neighbour getting assaulted.
“She got punched in the face and her jaw was broken.
“I remember I was looking out the window at exactly 3.14am and when I looked out they were screaming and standing there and I’m vibrating because my anxiety gets that bad.
“And because they [her neighbour and her friends] saw me looking out the window they came straight in the building and a friend was banging on the door and shouting ‘can you phone the police?’
“So I called them and I was up all that night because I had to give a statement.
“But, it’s just been like this almost constantly.
“Police cars were up at a suspicious death just round the corner and the whole block was cordoned off with hazard tape and police were there for nine days.
“There is a drug dealer that sells heroine, cocaine, marijuana and you can see them coming and going all day.
“And recently the police were in the next block where the building was raided by police for drugs.
“Living here in this street is like living in hell to me.”
Speaking exclusively to the PA, Patsy opened up about her numerous requests to the council to be moved.
She said: “I stayed with my mum before they gave me this flat and the council said because I was living with my mum I was classed as actually being homeless and that I would have to accept the first thing that they offered me which was this place.
“I took it and I didn’t know any better at the time.
“When the council housing people let you view a property, they brag it to the 99s - but they don’t tell you the bad points.
Patsy was forced into council housing when she had to give up work as a carer due to her pneumothorax, a condition where air leaks into the space between your lung and chest wall causing it to collapse.
Having to live with her condition and the crime in the Crieff street for four years, it has had a serious affect on her mental health.
“I worked all my life and I was always a carer in a nursing home because I loved looking after people,” she added.
“That was a job I loved but due to a problem with my lungs, I had to give up work.
“When I first moved in here four years ago I never took medication. I was fine.
“And since I’ve moved in I have been on 30mg of Mirtazapine anti-depression and anxiety tablets.
“You don’t get sleep at weekends whatsoever. I rest during the day an watch TV at night because there is no peace.
“There are people that have parties on a Friday that last to Sunday night.
“I’ve been to the council about it and spoken to them about it but it doesn’t change.”
Patsy’s lung condition leads to sporadic sudden chest pain and shortness of breath and can be adversely affected by some forms of plantlife.
Due to her vulnerable condition she can’t go out into her garden as it has overgrown with vegetation and hogweed, which causes severe blisters on the skin.
“The council are not taking any responsibility for what is going on out there,” she added.
“They dealt with the hogweed when I first moved in but my son used to strim the back garden so my grandkids could come and play.
“But since then I have taken several pictures of the garden when it first started to grow and I took it to the council and showed them the I have hogweed and I am not wanting my grandkids to end up in hospital.
“I have eight grandkids and four children all living in Perthshire and I can’t get to see them as often as I want because it’s dangerous.
“I’ve been asking the council for three and a half years but they have told me that they have no recollection of me filling out an application for to get me out of here.
“So about two months ago I had to go to the office do it all over again. And they don’t have any recollection of me calling the police several times.
“They say that they’ll get back to you - that is all you get.
“I don’t want to live here anymore and if I had the money, which I don’t because I have to go on benefits, I would just rent someplace.
“But they have made me live in this mess for four years. I have become a prisoner in my own house.
“Even if I was healthy it is not a place for anybody.
“I am not saying I am better than anybody I just think anybody deserved better than living here.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “Whilst we cannot discuss individual circumstances, we can provide assurance that the council fully assesses every applicant’s housing circumstances and medical needs in line with our policy for allocating properties.
“To ensure that all relevant information is fully considered, we also seek supporting information from other agencies and services such as Health, Police Scotland and the Community Safety Team.
“Where no supporting evidence is available this can impact on the level of priority awarded.
“Applicants with the greatest assessed need for housing are prioritised when vacancies do arise.
“Our housing options team also offer comprehensive advice and information in relation to the wider range of housing options available in the area, and we would encourage anyone seeking assistance with their housing situation to contact the team directly.
“Where tenants have concerns over the presence of hogweed in their garden, we would ask that they contact their locality team, who will arrange for the area to be inspected and the hogweed to be removed.
“Otherwise, under the terms of their tenancy agreements, tenants have responsibility for cutting their own grass and keeping gardens tidy.
“Our garden maintenance service is available to tenants who, due to old age or infirmity, need assistance with their gardens.
“Anyone seeking information about housing options or the garden maintenance service can contact the teams on 01738 475000.”
