Ipswich: Father-of-14 Tim Fisk slams vandals who poisoned 300 of his fish
Tim Fisk with some of his children in one of the rooms that they live in at West Villa. ES 22 07 03
An Ipswich father-of-14 who caused controversy after receiving a six-bedroom council house today blasted vandals who snuck into his back garden and poisoned his fish.
The two houses in Glamorgan Road - Credit: Archant
Tim Fisk, of Glamorgan Road, has pledged to stand his ground following the incident, which resulted in the deaths of about 300 of his fish, and happened just days after a documentary on benefits, which featured his family, was aired.
Police say they are investigating the incident, which happened between 10pm on July 1 and 9am the following day, and has been deemed an act of criminal damage.
Mr Fisk, who believes bleach was poured into the pond, said: “The children went to play around the back garden and they saw all the fish were dead.
“It’s disgusting to take it out on the poor fish. It’s bad when you are targeting peoples’ fish – it’s cruelty to animals.
“I’m upset about it and the children are. I love my fish. I have always had them, all my life.”
The Fisk family, from Maidenhall, were the subjects of a petition after it emerged Ipswich Borough Council was knocking through a wall to an unoccupied house next door to them, which created the six-bedroom house.
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They were one of three families to feature in the documentary Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole, which aired on June 23.
Mr Fisk has hit out at claims he and his family are ‘dole scroungers’, saying a great deal of their possessions were paid for during his working life.
He added: “I have worked hard for (our possessions) in the past.
“I get child tax credit as everyone else does – it’s just the fact that I have had so many children.
“It seems to me everyone’s doing it hoping we move, but I’m going to stand my ground.
“I have got a few more children - so what?”
A spokeswoman for Suffolk police said officers are investigating an allegation of criminal damage, which is thought to have happened between July 1 and 2.
The spokeswoman added: “The rear garden has been entered and it is believed a substance has been put in the pond water.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Pc Matthew Milton at the Ipswich South West SNT on 101 with information.
