Shoppers are being forced to share a busy council-run car park in a prosperous south-eastern town with a group of homeless migrants and drug addicts sleeping in tents.
asserted
Shoppers → force → tents
At least a dozen men have set up makeshift homes among the concrete pillars of Reading's Civic B Car Park, where the rate for an hour recently shot up from £2.10 to £4.30.
asserted
rate → set → 4.30
The dilapidated brutalist building – which sits directly under the Berkshire town's magistrates' court – is used by barristers and hundreds of shoppers each day.
But when the Daily Mail visited the site, men were seen injecting heroin in dark corners and clothing was strewn across the floor.
Our footage shows the grim conditions for inhabitants over two floors, with tents, blankets and belongings piled up on the urine-soaked floor.
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tents → sit → floor
The men are largely confined to the first floor, which shoppers must walk past using steps – but also sleep by cars on the ground level.
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shoppers → confine → level
Some of the disturbing images show waste and discarded underwear on the ground just a few feet from shoppers’ cars.
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Some → show → cars
On the day Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed to 'fix rough sleeping', the Daily Mail visited the building and spoke with its inhabitants.
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Mail → vow → inhabitants
At least a dozen men have set up makeshift homes among the concrete pillars of Reading's Civic B Car Park
The dilapidated brutalist building - which sits directly under the Berkshire town's magistrates' court - is used by barristers and hundreds of shoppers each day
Richard Okine, 33, from Ghana, has lived in the car park since 2023 after losing his life savings
One of the block's residents, Richard Okine, 33, has lived there for almost three years after losing his life savings in a romance scam.
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One → set → scam
The father, who came to the UK from Ghana by plane six years ago, says it is too risky to sleep inside a tent due to a recent stabbing.
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it → come → stabbing
He said: ‘Living here is very tough.
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Living → say → ?
One of the biggest problems I’ve faced is having the blankets we sleep on taken away.
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we → face → problems
‘I don’t use a tent.
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I → use → tent
I just sleep with a blanket because I don’t feel safe inside a tent.
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I → sleep → tent
Someone could come inside and do anything to you, and nobody outside would know what was happening.
uncertain
what → come → you
A lot of people smoke heroin and crack cocaine, and sometimes they get into arguments and fights.
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they → smoke → arguments
There was an incident a few months ago when someone cut another person’s ear.
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someone → be → ear
It was almost cut off.'
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It → cut → ?
Richard says he was allowed to stay in the UK on a family visa and previously worked in Sainsbury's and a cash-in-hand job as a cleaner.
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he → say → cleaner
He admits he is addicted to heroin and that sometimes the only way for people in his situation to make money is to consider shoplifting.
‘
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people → admit → shoplifting
I’m originally from Ghana, and I’ve lived in the UK for almost six years.
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I → ’m → years
I came here legally on a family visa because my father brought me over,' he said.
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he → come → me
‘I’m legally allowed to stay here, but my problem is that I’ve got pre-settled status.
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I → allow → status
As I understand it, I need indefinite status before I’m eligible for housing or public funds.
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I → understand → housing
So I’m stuck in between.
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I → stick → ?
Discarded cigarette butts and clothes lie on the busy council-run car park where homeless men have set up camp
The men's tents are largely confined to the first floor, which shoppers must walk past using steps
When the Daily Mail visited the site, men were seen injecting heroin in dark corners and clothing was strewn across the floor
‘
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clothing → lie → floor
I can work, and I’ve worked before.
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I → work → ?
I’ve done cleaning jobs and worked at Sainsbury’s in Newbury.
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I → do → Newbury
‘But when you’re homeless, you’re dirty.
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you → ’re → ?
Sometimes you can’t even take a shower.
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you → take → shower
I haven’t had a shower for about eight months.
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I → have → months
I’m telling you the truth.
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I → tell → truth
‘There are places where you can go to wash, but some of the people there are very aggressive, and you can end up getting into a fight.
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you → be → fight
I decided not to go because it’s too risky.'
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it → decide → ?
Richard met a woman on Facebook from his home country and began sending her the money he earned while working here.
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he → meet → money
He said: 'She was from Ghana, and I fell in love with her.
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I → say → her
I thought we would get married.
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we → think → ?
‘I sent her money, rented and furnished a home for her, and paid for her education to become a nurse.
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I → send → education
'But when I visited Ghana, I discovered another man had been staying at the house while I was away.
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I → visit → house
The children told me he would arrive late at night and leave early in the morning.
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he → tell → morning
‘I felt like I had been used.
asserted
I → feel → ?
When I found out, it completely broke me.
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it → find → me
…and 44 more, not listed.
The Aporia
