Girls 'murdered' in Portsmouth

Merlot, its fine, absolutely no offence taken. I love living here by the sea and yes, there are some vile things going on here, but Ive always felt safe enough. My children to grow up avoiding all the trouble spots thank goodness.

Very likely, storynanny. Sorry If I've made some comments about the area that are not accurate.

It happened 200 yards from where I live. The area isn't as bad as some of you think. I've lived here for 35 years and have taught in nearly all of the local primary schools. There are pockets of acute deprivation but not in this particular area. Some areas have really bad drug problems, but I don't think it is any worse than other places in the UK eg inner city areas.
I expect I have worked with your daughter merlot!

The poor children are growing up with violent parents so is it any wonder they turn out to be violent themselves?

A couple of weeks ago DD's school had their open evening. She was asked to look out for a Mrs Stringer who was moving into the area and had three children of primary school age.

DD, mistakenly, greeted the wrong woman with, 'Hello, you must be Mrs. Stringer.' The woman stormed off - much to DD's surprise.

The next morning all hell broke loose. A man barged into DD's office threatening violence and the police had to be called. He told the police his wife had been insulted and he was going to 'sort the bitch out'.

Apparently, a 'Stringer' is local slang for a prostitute!!

We laughed about it but it's not really funny is it?

Dreadful news, and as Aka says, cars are increasingly being used as weapons. As baubles says, many young people of their age are capable of deceiving parents, sadly. Most of us have taken risks in our mid teens that we would never have done before, or since. As for the area in which this happened, and it seems the girls lived, how fortunate for those of us who don't live in such a high risk area. I have lived in inner city areas, and couldn't wait to get out to the boring suburbs, where I found life much easier for myself, and for my children to grow up in. The significance of this story is that 2 young girls are dead, it seems deliberately mown down by a young man. Their families will be grieving, and are no doubt more than aware of the criticism they'll face for not having ensured their children were safely at home long before 4 am.

I don't want to appear critical of the poor girls and their families but there is increasing violence in some parts of Gosport. My daughter is deputy head at a primary school near there and I often worry about her safety where a lot of the parents are concerned.

More and more people are using 'cars as weapons'.

I agree about two young girls being on the streets at that time in the morning, and did have the same thought, that perhaps each had told their parents that they were having a 'sleep-over' but that evidently is not the case, they were at a party, and I can only ask in that case, why was a parent not there to pick them up from the party and take them home? I am confused too, about the murder charge, it seems the police know more about this incident than is being reported. Such a tragic loss of life for two young women and the grief for their family and friends.

My friend lived in Gosport when her OH was in the navy. I only quoted Portsmouth as that was what news reports were saying.
I guess like anywhere there are good and bad areas.

And it's actually in Gosport, not Portsmouth.

I know this area well as it's where DD2 and her husband bought their first home. All I'm saying is they moved out as soon as they could afford to.

At 15 I was quite capable of deceiving my parents into believing that I was staying over it with a friend. Said friend was equally deceitful. I'm not proud of that but it was a fact.

Lets not cast any blame on the victims.

I'm with the rest of you on this - 2 girls aged 14 and 16 out at 4am ???? I wonder if their parents knew or cared.

I thought there must be more to it, but deliberate? Why on earth - unless of course he made a pass at them and was rebuffed (slightly Dickensian language here). My initial thought was one drunk driver plus 2 drunk girls all wending their way home, leaping to conclusions I am afraid.

The Telegraph report said that the driver knew the two girls, and that they were standing on the pavement outside one of their houses.
The police must suspect that it was deliberate, or they wouldn't have charged him with murder.

Tragic indeed. Without knowing other than that they were walking home in the early hours of the morning aged 14 and 16 (?) hard to deny to what degree this contributed to being in dangerous situation. What I wonder makes it murder and not death by dangerous driving

No not just you ninathenana I did have the same thought.. a terrible tragedy nontheless .