VANDALS have left a man feeling “fearful” for his life, after they destroyed his motorhome and smashed several windows on his house.

Richard Deem, of Badminton Road, in Newport has been the target of persistent anti-social behaviour for the last 10 years.

But it was only after an incident last week, when youths cracked his windows and threw dog mess at him, that he finally said he decided "enough is enough".

South Wales Argus:

Richard Deem outside his house, with damaged windows behind him

"It was a dreadful incident and it made me think that I had to speak out," said the 63-year-old.

"I was in my garden and youths actually threw dog poo at me. They also smashed my windows with stones.

"When I told them to stop they just laughed and walked off."

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He added: "This has been going on for years and years. I am now fearful for my life because who knows what they are capable of."

Mr Deem has estimated the total damage caused by youths to be roughly £60,000. He also recalled other attacks which included his motorhome being torched, a garage door being kicked in, as well as car windows being smashed.

South Wales Argus:

Richard Deem's motorhome was destroyed

But the root cause to all these problems, he says, is a path running alongside his house to and from the Old Barn estate.

He said: “They completely and utterly destroyed my motorhome which was left outside my house. They are trying to wreck everything of mine.

“There is persistent anti-social behaviour because of the path. It never stops. Youths are using the path to come from the Old Barn estate.

"The only reason they come past my house is because of the path."

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And Mr Deem is now demanding for the path to either be blocked off or for security cameras to be installed to either catch or deter the culprits.

South Wales Argus:

Richard Deem in front of the path

"If one of these things are allowed then the problems would stop overnight," he said.

“It is making me feel sick.

“I cannot keep living like this."

Sergeant Chris Back, of the Newport East Neighbourhood Policing Team, said four individuals had recently been detained and interviewed about allegations of criminal damage in the area.

He said: "Two of these have been referred to the Youth Offending Service, and enquiries are ongoing.

“We have been in regular contact with local residents to offer our support and have been working with partner agencies in an effort to tackle this issue.

“If you have any information about anti-social behaviour in your neighbourhood, please report it as soon as possible to us by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”

And a spokeswoman from Newport City Council added: "[We] would advise Mr Deem to write to the council requesting officers to investigate the possibility of stopping up the path."