Dartford mum Jenny Ounsworth names alleged drug dealers on Facebook
Published: 00:01, 18 January 2015
A frustrated mum has accused two teenagers and a third man on Facebook of dealing drugs to children as young as 12 in Dartford.
Jenny Ounsworth, 43, of Albert Road, Wilmington, posted the allegations, which have since been removed, on the Dartford Gossip Page – a community forum ‘liked’ by more than 9,000 users.
In her comment, she alleges a 21-year-old man and the two teenage boys of dealing cannabis to children, some as young as 12, as a warning to parents in the village.
Speaking to KentOnline, she says she has reported it to police on six occasions and to Wilmington Academy and Wilmington Grammar School for Boys.
But despite speaking to authorities, she says drugs remain a persistent problem in the community.
“My brother Vincent died when he was 36, and that was because he didn’t know what he was doing to his body. That started with just a bit of weed at school" - Jenny Ounsworth
She said: “To be fair to the police I know they need to catch them but as a parent I can’t sort it out.
"I want someone with authority to take action. Our kids are not educated when it comes to drugs, they don’t know the dangers. It is ruining their lives.
“My brother Vincent died when he was 36, and that was because he didn’t know what he was doing to his body. That started with just a bit of weed at school.
“Young people here just don’t have an outlook, there is nothing for them.”
Asked whether she had received a backlash after going public with the claims, she says her message has been met with both support and criticism.
“I posted it publicly because I wanted to highlight it to people.
“I think people should be named and shamed. If people get the hump, they get the hump.
“I’m just sick and tired of it being brushed under the carpet.
“I’ve had a bit of abuse over it but it has had the desired effect.”
According to the NHS, the risks of using cannabis are higher for regular users from an early age, which includes more chance of developing a mental illness.
Health guidelines say risks are linked to the fact the drug interferes when the brain is still forming its connections.
A police spokesman said: “Dartford Community Safety Unit is aware of the concerns of this resident, following five reports raised since June, and she has been contacted by officers to discuss the matter.
“Every report is logged on an intelligence system and this information is constantly being reviewed as part of measures put in place to address her concerns, which include targeted high-visibility patrols in key areas in Wilmington.
“Officers have been in contact again with this resident to update her on the actions that are being taken as a result of her reports.”