In addition to being an irritating insect that sucks blood, 'the mosquito' is also an ultra sonic deterrent of young people under the age of 25 years, and for many youths, the device can be as much of a nuisance as any insect !

The device was designed to emit a high pitched sound that allegedly only people under the age of 25 years can hear and is placed strategically in places where young people congregate. Police and private individuals in the UK have been using the Mosquito since it was invented by Welshman Howard Stapleton in 2005, to banish groups of young people whom they believe may be engaged in anti social behaviour.

Recently however the device has come under heavy attack, with the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) among others calling for its outright ban. Campaigners against the device say that the Mosquito can be heard by people over 25 years of age and that it infringes the human rights of young people, but have so far been unsuccessful in curbing its use. Both the Westminster Government and the European Commission have stated that they have no plans to ban the Mosquito, but a court in Saint-Brieuc, Breizh/Brittany ruled last week that the owner of a holiday home there, who had installed the controversial device to prevent possible vandalism, was ordered to remove it from his home.

The court ruled in favour of a group of shopkeepers who had lodged a complaint saying that residents had suffered severe headaches since the device had been installed and that children had to cover their ears when passing nearby. The lawyer acting on behalf of the shop keepers said that the Mosquito had caused "abnormal disruption" in the town and auditory discomfort.

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

02/05/08