- Pharmacy World in Roseworth, Stockton-on-Tees, had youths loitering outside
- So Richard Lyness hired unnamed ex-Marine to guard shop from 2pm to 5pm
- Mr Lyness said he had to take extreme measure to protect himself and his staff
A pharmacy has had to employ an ex-Royal Marine who guarded the Queen as security due to the amount of trouble it gets from thugs.
Pharmacy World in Roseworth, Stockton-on-Tees, has been forced to start paying over £1,000 a month to a private security firm because the store and the staff are continually targeted by the youths that congregate outside.
Manager Richard Lyness said he took the extreme measure to protect himself and his staff.
Pharmacy World manager Richard Lyness said he took the extreme measure to protect himself and his staff
He said: ‘I was threatened by one of the lads who said that he was going to smash my car up while my wife and young son were in the car.
‘He then pulled his trousers down and exposed himself. A lot of people in the area are scared to come forward in case they get targeted.
‘I’ve had people coming into the shop telling me they’ve been throwing fireworks at them, including a woman with a child who was at a cash machine.
‘The police are arresting them and as soon as they get released they come back and do it all again.
‘We have elderly patients who come in here and a lot of people with health issues. I can see where this behaviour is going.’
The security guard works at the store from 2pm until 5pm during the week.
The security guard, who is an ex-Royal Marine and asked to remain anonymous, works at the store from 2pm until 5pm during the week
The guard, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: ‘I’m from the area and so I want to protect it.
‘You can chase the youths off and shout at them but they keep coming back. I have relatives who use this pharmacy.
‘I served in the Royal Marines for nine years. Last year I was at Royal Ascot protecting the Queen, I never thought I would be called in to protect a chemist.’
Mr Lyness has now set up an online petition called Campaign Against Anti-Social Behaviour in the UK which he hopes to present to the government.
It calls for tougher penalties for bad behaviour and the removal of problem children from their families to ‘care centres’ where they are kept under strict control and ‘taught discipline and right from wrong’.
The store has been targeted a number of times in recent weeks, including by a group of youths throwing eggs