Police called to street skirmishes at Holloways Beach

A former MP has allegedly been smashed in the head with a garden tool following long-running tensions blamed on youth crime but police have warned residents not to take the law into their own hands.

Police officers take statements outside the Holloways Beach house. Picture: Supplied

Holloways Beach residents fed up with youth crime in the neighbourhood came to a head on Friday night when simmering tensions reached boiling point.

For weeks locals have raised concerns about a group of youths riding unregistered motorbikes, stealing cars, quad bikes and yard tools for petrol.

A group of about 25 neighbours came together on Friday evening at 5.30pm in an intervention outside a house in Holloways Beach.

While for the most part residents tried to get their message across peacefully but later the situation escalated and emergency services were called to keep the peace.

Police vehicles in Holloways Beach on Friday evening responding to a community intervention. Picture: Supplied

Living nearby, former Barron River MP Michael Trout said simmering tensions boiled over due to the unresolved situation and a perception that lawlessness was going unchecked.

“We have had a gutful, the whole neighbourhood has a gutful,” he said.

Mr Trout said a teen boy was arrested and was back at Holloways Beach within hours.

Police confirmed a 15-year-old Mooroobool boy was charged with one count of going armed so as to cause fear and will appear in Cairns Childrens Court on May 29.

“I will stick up for the police, they have been unbelievable but the law is stuffed, either the watch house is full or the police have no power,” he said.

A group of about 25 people held a community intervention outside the Holloways Beach property on Friday. Picture: Supplied

The former Liberal National politician was elected to the seat of Barron River in 2012 before being succeeded by Craig Crawford in 2015.

In a second incident emergency services were called back to Holloways Beach at 10pm following reports a group of people, armed with weapons, had hit several others and a car, before leaving the scene on foot.

A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said a woman in her 30s declined treatment but a 47-year-old man was taken to Cairns Hospital with injuries to his arms.

She said QAS received the call at 9.54pm and went to Alamanda St.

A 47-year-old Holloways Beach man, who was not Mr Trout, was charged with one count of going armed so as to cause fear.

He is due to appear in Cairns Magistrates Court on June 3.

Holloways Beach resident Michael Trout was injured in an altercation on Friday night. Picture: Supplied

Mr Trout said he was himself whacked in the head with a shovel and lost consciousness during the second bout of neighbourhood violence.

He suffered a grazed face and black eye.

“Our suburb has been terrorised and you can’t do anything,” he said.

”This needs to be exposed, the police are doing their job but the system is f**ked.”

A 23-year-old woman and 60-year-old Mr Trout received non-life-threatening injuries and were treated at the scene and a 31-year-old man was taken to Cairns Hospital for treatment following the second incident.

While Detective Inspector Kevin Goan said police are continuing to work with the Holloways Beach community to reduce crime he urged residents not to take matters into their own hands.

“We are continuing proactive, high-visibility patrols in the Holloways Beach area and continue to utilise a raft of proactive enforcement and engagement strategies to protect victims of crime from future harm,” he said.

“To ensure community safety, police urge members of the public to not engage in methods of disrupting criminal activity or reprisal.”

Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact police.

Investigations are continuing.

Follow @petercarruther1

Originally published as Police called to street skirmishes at Holloways Beach