Mother’s drastic measure to stop her child drinking alcohol

A Carlisle mother is so desperate to stop her teenage daughter’s excessive drinking she has plastered posters of her in off-licences all over the city. Isobel Higgins, 33, of Lund Crescent, Currock, is angry that despite her best efforts to stop 16-year-old Jody getting hold of alcohol, adults are continuing to buy it for her.

She is now taking drastic action in a bid to make them stop and think before giving drink to youngsters. “She did feel a bit embarrassed about the posters but I had to do something. We’ve tried everything and have got everyone involved that should be, but people are still buying her alcohol,” she said.

Miss Higgins, who lives with her partner, thinks Jody’s drinking started just over a year ago when she was hanging out with friends at night. From there she believes it has spiralled into an addiction, changing her behaviour and personality completely.



Miss Higgins, who also has a young son, said Jody will now come home drunk at 5 or 6am, or sometimes not at all. “She will drink vodka, cider, shots, whatever she can get her hands on and she doesn’t see she’s doing anything wrong. I think it’s an addiction.”

She tried to give her a curfew or keep her in completely, but nothing has worked. “I’ve tried everything in the book, but you just can’t control a 16-year-old, not even with the help of the authorities. I don’t know where she is during the day. I can’t lock her up.”

That’s why she felt she had no choice but to print the posters, which feature Jody’s photo, age and a plea not to buy or sell her alcohol. They are in the windows of off-licences in Currock, Upperby, Denton Holme and the city centre.