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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Kieren Williams

Residents too scared to leave their homes after neighbourhood overrun by sex workers

Residents claim their neighbourhood has been overrun by prostitutes, leaving them too scared to leave their homes and their streets littered with condoms.

Families have said their children have witnessed people having sex up against the sides of their homes in Nottingham, as crime swept through their local area.

The problems have affected the Hyson Green area of Nottingham and residents claim the council turns a blind eye to them as visitors steer well clear.

Things have gotten so bad that residents say they are now apart of a “red-light district” but police disputed the claims and pointed out that no one had reported the issue to the police and anti-social behaviour was in fact down in the area.

A charity that works with sex workers in the city also questioned the resident's claims.

Resident Madar Zaman, 62, said: "We do not leave the house at night. We always hear shouting throughout the night.”

More than one resident claim they had been propositioned by prostitutes outside their homes or businesses (Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)

He told The Sun they try to avoid the hotspots as much as possible and 54-year-old Fatima Choundhury agreed.

He echoed his neighbours claims and said they didn’t go out at night either and had regularly seen sex workers plying their trade and people doing drugs.

One student who had moved to the area because it was cheaper than living in the city had seen a prostitute having sex at the side of her rented accommodation.

A local businessman and taxi driver Latif Sajad, 75, said he had been propisitoned by a sex worker who even tried to get into his car.

The Hyson Green area of Nottingham is being affected by the spread from the city's red-light district residents claim (Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson)

He said the prostitutes targeted Radford Road and had spilled over from the allegedly renowned neighbouring red light district in Forest Road West.

Mr Sajad wasn’t the only one to have been propositioned and optician shop owner Azad Khan had been too, as he left his shop.

He added he would “worry for a parent with a young child” to take them out into the area.

But one resident complained the area was being painted in an unfair light.

One resident complained that others who lived there gave the area a bad rep and the problems were overblown (Nottingham Post/Marie Wilson.)

The owner of popular Yumi ice cream said the area was being unfairly tainted and was not as bad people made out

He said: “I’ve been here for 13 years and I have never seen any prostitution. But some people will not come into Hyson Green because they’ve heard negative comments."

Inspector Ben Lawrence, who leads the City Central neighbourhood policing team, said: "Nottinghamshire Police regularly attends partnership meetings with council colleagues, councillors, resident associations, third-sector organisations and no-one has reported concerns about sex workers in the Hyson Green / Arboretum area.

"That said, officers from the local neighbourhood policing teams work closely with key partners on these matters and we regularly patrol the area and will continue to do so and where criminal offences are identified then those responsible are, and will continue to be, prosecuted.

"It is this partnership approach that led to a 35.9% reduction in reports anti-social behaviour over the 2021-22 financial year in the Hyson Green and Arboretum area.

"Whether using proactive patrols or targeted engagement, we remain committed to ensuring that residents feel safe and will continue to respond to community concerns.

"That is why it is really important that anyone who has any concerns reports them to Nottinghamshire Police as soon as possible on 101."

Jessica Brannan, of POW Nottingham - a non-profit, voluntary organisation supporting the rights of sex workers and those at risk of being exploited - added: "We are embedded within the sex worker community and although we are aware of individuals working in Nottingham it is simply not accurate to say any part of Nottingham is 'overrun' with sex workers.

"We continue to work closely with Nottinghamshire Police and other partners to tackle the harm and exploitation associated with sex work. Together we take a victim-first approach with this issue to ensure individuals identified as being involved in sex work can access the network of support available to them."

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