A COMMUNITY farm in Devon has been vandalised - but Devon and Cornwall Police say they have now caught the offenders. 

There has recently been a spate of anti-social behaviour at Poole Farm, near Leigham in Plymouth, which is a community farm funded by Plymouth City Council. The farm supports people with their wellbeing and allows children and young people to learn more about nature. 

Lately there has been various anti-social behaviour incidents, including fencing being ripped down, damage to entrances, graffiti on benches, tools being moved from storage sheds, and littering. Further serious incidents of anti-social behaviour that have been reported to the police include drug paraphernalia being discarded at the farm, and an alleged arson to a tent.

PC Sarah Hill said: “All of the anti-social behaviour that Poole Farm has been subject to over recent weeks has had a significant negative impact on the staff that work at the farm, the animals in their care, and members of the community who visit this fantastic facility.

"We are pleased that our enquiries have led to us successfully identifying and locating the offenders. Due to the age of the offenders, they will each be taking part in a restorative justice programme with Poole Farm, to enable them to take accountability for their actions and understand the upset and distress their behaviour has caused to both the organisation and the local community.

“Restorative justice allows offenders to acknowledge their actions and put their behaviour right, by spending time with the victim and understanding the negative consequences of their actions first-hand. The group of young people who have been involved with this incident have been invited to Poole Farm to learn from their actions and give something positive back to the organisation. Following this, if those individuals decide to reoffend, they risk receiving harsher punishments, and a criminal record. A criminal record can significantly reduce an individual’s opportunities, such as employment, higher education, and overseas travel.”

Poole Farm has said repairing the damage has been costly, but the anti-social behaviour has also had an impact on the animals and wildlife at the farm. The beaver population, which is sensitive to disturbances, has been affected and the farm is worried the beaver conservation project could fail. 

“We will continue to support Poole Farm by sharing crime prevention advice to prevent further anti-social behaviour from taking place and carrying out regular patrols of the area," PC Hill added.

"We take reports of this nature very seriously and encourage members of the community to continue reporting any instances of anti-social behaviour to us so we can bring offenders to justice.”