A Leeds couple are being tormented by people having sex on their street.
Jackie and Michael Scott, 56 and 77 respectively, have spoken about hearing the “screams” and lewd acts going on at all hours. They’re regularly woken up late at night by all the unwelcome noise.
The couple live in Holbeck, where there used to be a legal red-light zone for prostitutes to carry out sex work. It was called the Managed Approach and permitted prostitution between certain hours on allocated streets.
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But ever since Leeds City Council scrapped the controversial project in 2020 after six years, the situation has got much worse, according to the Scotts. They say prostitutes, male and female, and kerb crawlers now pervade the residential streets.
Michael, a retired security guard, has grown tired of hearing the “noises and the screaming”. He said: “I think it’s absolutely disgusting. The council closed the Managed Approach but now the prostitutes are coming into the residential areas, like on Crosby Road. They’re doing it there.”
The 77-year-old said he was recently woken up by a prostitute and her punter who were 'conducting business' directly outside his front door. He stuck his head out the window and saw she was wearing nothing but a small t-shirt and white hot pants.
He shouted at both of them to “move on!” and they went around the corner, to the next street, and continued their business there.
Michael said: “That’s what’s happening now, they don’t give a damn.”
'Disgusting'
Jackie spoke about a recent unnerving incident she heard at 3.15am. She said she heard a prostitute slamming the car door and shouting at her punter: “No, not b****y likely!”
The punter in the car then asked: “What about next week?”
“No, don’t bother, never! I’m never going to go with you ever again. F*** off!” screamed back the young woman.
Jackie says she’s regularly woken up by the noise of the prostitutes, “you can hear what’s going on” she adds. She wants police to take tougher action.
Jackie said: “I suffer with mental health and I’ve got other problems wrong with me. But I don’t go out and put myself out there like that.
“A copper said to me that some of them were homeless - I’ve been there as well! I’ve been through what these girls are going through but I don’t put myself on the street. I’ve been a junkie, an alcy, homeless. I find it disgusting because the police are doing nothing about it.”
But Jackie doesn’t want the Managed Approach to return. She said: “What they should do is find somewhere safe for them off the streets, like a warehouse and put beds there. Let them take the punters there.”
'Positive trajectory,' says council'
A Leeds city council spokesperson said it has seen a "positive trajectory” in its response to sex-work and anti-social behaviour. The local authority made assurances that it remains focussed on “tackling community concerns” and safeguarding those involved in sex work. The council encourages residents to make reports to the dedicated phone line and have said it works in partnership with West Yorkshire Police.
The council spokesperson said: “The dedicated police team work in close partnership with other services, including the Safer Leeds anti-social behaviour team, sharing intelligence which guides our on-street patrolling and joint operations.
"Our intelligence led approach is robust and intended to mitigate the risk to any person present in the area, including sex workers. In addition, the police and anti-social behaviour team take criminal and civil enquiries through to the courts, to secure injunctions to remove people who may fall into such a category.”
Superintendent Dan Wood of West Yorkshire Police said: "West Yorkshire Police is working closely with partner organisations and residents in Holbeck to share information and to address concerns relating to sex work in the area.
"Issues relating to sex work can be complex. Our partnership approach involves the consideration of any welfare needs and has the aim of primarily taking a problem-solving approach. Where enforcement action is required, the law in this area requires there to be some ‘persistence’ of sex working behaviour, hence the graduated approach that officers would take in the form of warnings, formal cautions and the offender potentially being summonsed to court.
"We would ask residents who have specific concerns to report them to us by contacting the Neighbourhood Policing Team or by calling 07534 309568."
Anti Managed Approach campaign group Save Our Eyes have also been asked for a comment.
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