Teh One Who Knocks
10-24-2013, 10:54 AM
By Andy Wells - The Daily Star
http://i.imgur.com/QajIuyc.jpg
Civil partners Lisa and Carrie-Ann Beaney currently live in a single B&B room with their four children, and claim that they are too stressed to work because of homophobic bullying.
Lisa, 30, quit her job in McDonald's after just three months because it made her too anxious, while Carrie-Ann, 23, has never worked at all.
And due to tough new benefit cap rules their housing payments were slashed and the pair were evicted from their £850-a-month rented home.
However, their £608-a-week B&B room is paid for by the taxpayer, and makes up a £53,000-a-year benefits handout on top of income support and child benefit.
The pair now want want the council to give them a bigger house for their brood.
They argue they would be able to work if they weren't bullied about their sexuality - and afford a house themselves.
http://i.imgur.com/7d3nf1U.jpg
Lisa said: "It does feel like we were persecuted against because of our sexuality and I think the council needs to show us some sympathy.
"They guaranteed us that they would be able to find us a house as soon as we were out of the private house, but we are still here.
"The best they've come up with is privately rented property but we wouldn't be able to afford it and the same thing would happen again.
"We got loads of abuse in the streets and one time we got a letter through the door saying we were disgusting and didn't deserve to have children.
"It just means the only time we are ever close is at home. We don't hold hands when we are out together or anything.
"We did have the police around a few times because our car was damaged and our fence was damaged and then one day I was assaulted.
"When Dillon went to school he would have kids throw abuse at him and punch him because we were lesbians.
"It's disgusting that grown adults can behave like that."
http://i.imgur.com/WjBhAie.jpg
However, former neighbours accused of abusing them said they didn't even know the couple were lesbians.
Sheila Eagle, 69, retired, said: "We didn't even know they were lesbians for a long time.
"I don't even think any of the neighbours knew them. I do not believe for a single second they received homophobic abuse."
She added: "The landlords came round here asking about the family because they hadn't been paying rent or bills.
"But we saw them with cars full of stuff from Argos where they had been buying new things though.
"They wanted to be given a council house and this was a way of getting it, if you ask me."
The couple, from Ashford, Kent, have also posted YouTube clips of them happily dancing in the home where they claim they were made miserable by abuse.
Lisa already had son Devon, seven, and Carrie-Ann had son Dillon, eight, from their previous heterosexual relationships.
Despite no prospects for work they wanted another baby and persuaded a male friend to donate the sperm they needed for artificial insemination at home.
They both fell pregnant at the same time and last year Lisa gave birth to Tommy, now 16 months and partner Carrie-Ann had daughter Calise, now 14 months.
Ashford Borough Council said the couple and their children have been offered a three bedroom-home and insisted they had been treated "the same" as any other family.
A spokesman said: "We did offer the family a property through our social lettings agency but they declined the offer, again on affordability."
They added: "Throughout the process Miss Beaney and her family have been treated as would any other family.
"Following an initial assessment the council accepted a homeless duty to the family."
http://i.imgur.com/QajIuyc.jpg
Civil partners Lisa and Carrie-Ann Beaney currently live in a single B&B room with their four children, and claim that they are too stressed to work because of homophobic bullying.
Lisa, 30, quit her job in McDonald's after just three months because it made her too anxious, while Carrie-Ann, 23, has never worked at all.
And due to tough new benefit cap rules their housing payments were slashed and the pair were evicted from their £850-a-month rented home.
However, their £608-a-week B&B room is paid for by the taxpayer, and makes up a £53,000-a-year benefits handout on top of income support and child benefit.
The pair now want want the council to give them a bigger house for their brood.
They argue they would be able to work if they weren't bullied about their sexuality - and afford a house themselves.
http://i.imgur.com/7d3nf1U.jpg
Lisa said: "It does feel like we were persecuted against because of our sexuality and I think the council needs to show us some sympathy.
"They guaranteed us that they would be able to find us a house as soon as we were out of the private house, but we are still here.
"The best they've come up with is privately rented property but we wouldn't be able to afford it and the same thing would happen again.
"We got loads of abuse in the streets and one time we got a letter through the door saying we were disgusting and didn't deserve to have children.
"It just means the only time we are ever close is at home. We don't hold hands when we are out together or anything.
"We did have the police around a few times because our car was damaged and our fence was damaged and then one day I was assaulted.
"When Dillon went to school he would have kids throw abuse at him and punch him because we were lesbians.
"It's disgusting that grown adults can behave like that."
http://i.imgur.com/WjBhAie.jpg
However, former neighbours accused of abusing them said they didn't even know the couple were lesbians.
Sheila Eagle, 69, retired, said: "We didn't even know they were lesbians for a long time.
"I don't even think any of the neighbours knew them. I do not believe for a single second they received homophobic abuse."
She added: "The landlords came round here asking about the family because they hadn't been paying rent or bills.
"But we saw them with cars full of stuff from Argos where they had been buying new things though.
"They wanted to be given a council house and this was a way of getting it, if you ask me."
The couple, from Ashford, Kent, have also posted YouTube clips of them happily dancing in the home where they claim they were made miserable by abuse.
Lisa already had son Devon, seven, and Carrie-Ann had son Dillon, eight, from their previous heterosexual relationships.
Despite no prospects for work they wanted another baby and persuaded a male friend to donate the sperm they needed for artificial insemination at home.
They both fell pregnant at the same time and last year Lisa gave birth to Tommy, now 16 months and partner Carrie-Ann had daughter Calise, now 14 months.
Ashford Borough Council said the couple and their children have been offered a three bedroom-home and insisted they had been treated "the same" as any other family.
A spokesman said: "We did offer the family a property through our social lettings agency but they declined the offer, again on affordability."
They added: "Throughout the process Miss Beaney and her family have been treated as would any other family.
"Following an initial assessment the council accepted a homeless duty to the family."