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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
National
Iona Young

East Lothian family tells of 'living in hell' at the hands of racist teen gang

A frightened family has told how a racist teen gang has left them prisoners in their own homes for the past three years.

Dad Abrar Hyder, 50, said the yobs have hurled vile abuse at his family, smeared dog faeces on his doorstep and smashed up his car. The incidents started just months after his family moved into their Musselburgh property.

Abrar Hyder, of Pakistani origin, said his children are scared to go to school and his wife refuses to leave the house. Despite repeatedly reporting the horrific abuse to the police, Abrar feels too little is being done.

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Speaking to Edinburgh Live, he said: "I'm living in hell at the moment. My daughters don't want to go to school and my wife is afraid to leave the house.

"We moved to Musselburgh in 2021 and three months after we moved in the abuse and harassment started. Every second night there are people outside smearing dog poo on our doorstep and shouting racial abuse.

"They shout 'Go home p****' and pee on the door. I have reported it to the police many times and they tell me they are just drunk and to ignore it but how can you ignore that?"

The abhorrent racial behaviour is taking a toll on the family and Abrar's - especially his teenage daughters, aged 13 and 15.

He added: "My girls don't want to go to school. When we leave in the morning there is dog poo smeared across the doorway and they think that something might happen on the way to school.

"It has shaken their confidence and they can't study well. My older daughter is in s4 so she will be sitting exams soon.

"It happens at all times of the day. Our car window got smashed in the middle of the day but at night there are no working street lights which makes it scarier."

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He continued: "The first time my car got smashed was in January and it was the front windscreen, the second time was just two days ago when they smashed the rear windscreen with a huge tin of paint.

"I was phoning the police desperately begging for them to come and check it out. I am waiting now for the police to come and examine the scene.

"I'm staying in my house and won't go to work. I'm scared about what could happen to my wife and kids. I can't describe the hell we are going through."

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 9.45pm on Tuesday, 28 March, 2023, we were called to a report of a vehicle being damaged in the High Street area of Fisherrow, Musselburgh.

"Enquiries have commenced and are ongoing."

If you have been affected by a similar issue please get in touch. You can find support here.

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