A three-year-old boy picked up a blood-filled syringe after it was dumped outside the window of his Dundee home.
Kavi Rashid was playing outside his flat in Forth Crescent in Charleston around 7.30pm when he discovered a plastic bag containing the syringe, blood-soaked tissues and other drug-related paraphernalia.
His father Sheedy (40) said he and Kavi’s mother Donna had feared the worst after the toddler was found playing with the needle.
He said: ”My friend was painting the kitchen and came out for a fag and some fresh air. When he turned around Kavi had the bag between his legs and was holding the needle.
”He had to have picked it up from somewhere on the ground as he’s too small to get into the bins although maybe somebody had put it down the drain.
”We stripped him off straight away and washed him to make sure there were no new marks and that he had not hurt himself on the needle.
”He was totally fine but got a bit alarmed because we were so scared. He’s fine now though he’s only three so doesn’t really know what’s going on.”
Mr Rashid said his family had only moved into the ground-floor flat last September but are desperate to move elsewhere because of the rising number of drug addicts in the area.
He said: ”We’ve got people kicking the windows at night. We’re all sleeping in the same room at night because we are so scared of what’s happening.
”It was okay here to start with but things have just been getting worse.”
Continued…
Mr Rashid, who suffers from diabetes, stress and high-blood pressure, said the situation is even harder because of his family’s history with drugs.
”I lost my brother to an overdose three years ago so it’s pretty hard for me that it’s (drugs) in my face every day.”
Mr Rashid, who is on the waiting list for a council house, said: ”We’ve told the council about the drug problems but they seem quite happy for us to live in this situation.”
Jimmy Black, convener of Dundee City Council’s housing committee, said: ”Dundee Community Safety Partnership has a 24 hours a day seven days a week telephone number that anyone can call to arrange for the safe removal of discarded needles.
”If you find any drug paraphernalia, anywhere in Dundee, you should call 433063 to arrange for its removal.
”As upsetting as it can be, finding a needle in the street does not get you any priority points on the housing waiting list and unfortunately you can find such things anywhere in the city.
”The solution is to deal with the drug problem effectively, and we always encourage people in any of our communities who have any information about drug misuse or dealing to contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, which can be anonymously or get in touch with Tayside Police on 0300 111 2222.
”There are only a limited number of homes to meet demand, and staff from the lettings centre are more than happy to discuss the situation with Mr Rashid. They can be contacted on 307400.
”I have inquired about progress and asked for a list of other social landlords/private sector letting agents with property in Dundee to be provided to Mr Rashid.”
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: ”There are four categories within the council house waiting list homeless, general needs, redevelopment and choice.
”Needs such as overcrowding or medical grounds will increase an applicant’s eligibility, but rehousing always depends on there being enough suitable properties available to meet the applicant’s needs in the area they have applied for.”