HOMELESS people have become the latest targets for unruly juveniles in Tweed Heads and Coolangatta, with the vulnerable and often mentally ill suffering stonings, bashings and verbal abuse.

A homeless man, Billy*, has a severely injured hand and claims he was urinated on then dragged out from under a bus shelter at Kirra Beach.

“I curled up to protect myself, but they stomped on my hand,” he said.

He did not report the incident for fear of reprisal from the attackers.

Duncan*, a homeless man suffering from schizophrenia, said the parents of some young people had driven their children to Goodwin Park with a “boot full of stones” to hurl at him.

Robbie* and Jason* have lived in cars for the past four years at Coolangatta. Robbie has a gambling problem, while Jason claims he is a diagnosed “delusional paranoid schizophrenic”.

Tweed police Inspector Greg Carey told The Daily News no reports of such abuse had been recorded, but in many cases the homeless did not report assault cases.

“Incidents are often isolated as the homeless drift backwards and forwards over the border,” he said. “This makes it hard to know where they are at any one time and makes them vulnerable so violent louts can easily take advantage of them.

“These are cowards that hunt in packs with no concern for who they harm.”

Insp Carey said police took a compassionate view of the problem and did their best to help the homeless seek shelter and advice.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said it was a “catch-22” situation.

“We do regular patrols, but unless the victims report assault we can't take action,” she said.

Tweed Heads has the highest number of homeless people per capita in Australia, according to the 2006 census.

Banora Point Salvation Army captain Deborah Robinson described the situation for homeless people on the Tweed as “very grave”.

“We have an epidemic of homeless wandering the streets, but it is going to get much worse,” she said.

“The most disturbing aspect is that right now there are families facing homelessness because they can't afford rent.

“Do they face a life of abuse on the streets?”

Tweed Heads Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) co-ordinator Carol Christie said the homeless people needed protection as well as housing.

“I'm appalled and saddened by the way they are treated and the lack of help afforded to them,” she said.

You Have a Friend president John Lee feeds the homeless and provides clothing and moral support.

“Homelessness is a human rights issue,” he said.

“People experiencing homelessness face violations of a wide range of human rights.”

Mr Lee has approached the state member for Tweed, Geoff Provest, federal member for Richmond Justine Elliot and Tweed Mayor Kevin Skinner for support to establish a drop-in centre for the homeless.

Cr Skinner said he would meet with Mr Lee to discuss the problem, but said it was “not the council's responsibility”.

“This is really a State Government issue,” he said.

Mr Provest was not available for comment.

*Not their real names