Asbo kids are misunderstood Niki Mitchel hooligan teen

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'My ASBO kids are just misunderstood’

Wednesday 22 September 2010

It’s the kind of behaviour that should appall any mother. Unruly Corey Mitchell, 17, and his brother John, 14, have been terrorising neighbours for years by throwing dog faeces into gardens, eggs at houses, shouting racist slurs and attacking innocent passers-by. But incredibly, their jobless mum Niki defends their behaviour and insists it “isn’t their fault,” claiming her boys lash out because they suffer from attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – just like her.

Much to their neighbours’ relief, Niki’s teen tearaways have now been slapped with ASBOs after a court heard they’d subjected the neighbourhood to years of threats and abuse.

However, the court orders have outraged Niki, 41, who argues that her sons aren’t bad – just misunderstood.

Speaking as recent figures show the number of children getting into trouble with police has trebled in the last eight years, Niki claims: “My kids aren’t perfect, but it’s not their fault. It’s their illness. The neighbours have got it in for us and the police pin everything on my boys.”

Niki’s sons started wreaking havoc on their neighbourhood when Corey was just nine.

At the family’s three-bedroom council house in Crawley, West Sussex, the mum-of-five, who is married to an unemployed mechanic, explains: “The police arrested Corey for stealing sweets worth 70p. Since then he’s been convicted of three or four assaults and possession of cannabis.”

And younger sibling John, who’s been expelled from school, isn’t far behind.

“John’s police record includes two criminal damage offences to school property,” Niki says.

“He was kicked out after disrupting classes with dinosaur noises and tapping. The teachers blamed him whenever something was thrown across the room and when he denied it they called him a liar. The boys lash out if they’re called liars. But they can’t help losing control – it’s the ADHD.”

Niki, who claims around £2,000 in benefits each month, was diagnosed with ADHD, a behavioural disorder characterised by attentional problems and hyperactivity, in 2006. Corey had previously been diagnosed in 2000, with John following more recently.

“When the boys kick off it’s not a conscious choice – they have a disability,” she insists. “The rest of the time they’re really sweet. If I’m upset they give me a hug.”

Niki, who is also mum to sports instructor and ADHD sufferer Kyle, 20, even suspects her daughters Joni, 13, and Summer, two months, also have the condition.

“We’ve all got ADHD,” she says. “I can already see it in Summer – she’s always fidgeting.”

Since 2008, the police have been inundated with calls from terrified neighbours who say Corey and John shout abuse, fight each other and cause damage in the street.

“When they get aggravated they like to go outside to calm down,” Niki shrugs.

Police finally handed the teenage louts two-year ASBOs last month to try to put a stop to their anti-social behaviour.

Shockingly, the boys say they feel hard done by and moan about the order’s conditions. It bans them from going to certain streets and the local shopping parade and have a strict curfew between 10pm and 6am.

Corey says: “We’ve been given the ASBO for silly things like picking neighbours’ flowers. I only take them when I want to give a bunch to my mum!

“At first I thought the ASBO was wicked – I asked people if they wanted my autograph after my picture was in the local paper. But I didn’t get my place at college and I’m now getting death threats on Facebook.”

Their outraged mother adds: “The ASBO stops them doing what they want and Corey won’t be able to go out and celebrate his 18th birthday.”

Niki blames her sons’ behaviour on teachers for not giving them enough help.

“They never dealt with the boys in the right way,” she says. “Everything I asked them to do they didn’t – John needed more attention and extra work. He was bright and was getting bored.”

But Niki denies that as their mother, it’s her responsibility to ensure her children behave.

“I’ve done my best. I’m not a crap mum,” she whines. “The police and social services are always checking up on me.”

Unsurprisingly, Niki is all in favour of ministers’ plans to scrap ASBOs after statistics suggested that louts see them
as a badge of honour.

“The ASBO is pointless,” she moans. “My boys are not just naughty kids – they need help rather than an ASBO.

“People have called my kids dumb, but I’m proud of them. Corey is a caring boy and John’s last school report was glowing.”

Corey says: “I used to go out looking for a fight but I’ve been good recently and I’ve stopped smoking weed.”

John, who attends a Pupil Referral Unit, a centre for pupils unable to attend mainstream school, adds: “I hate being called the ASBO kid. People think I’m rough. If anyone should get an ASBO, Mum should!”

Closer’s Dr Christian Jessen says: “With good parenting and schooling there is no reason ADHD should lead to an ASBO. It’s no excuse for this kind of behaviour.”

By Jocelyn Cook