The gang violence that has tormented Easterhouse for half a century has ruined another young man’s life.

A member of one street gang was caught by his enemies only a few weeks ago. He was stabbed and beaten so badly he could need care for the rest of his life.

Simon, a young member of the Drummy gang, told us about the incident. He said: “He was chased, his pals ran away and he was caught and stabbed, had a pick axe in his back, a baseball bat and golf club in his face. They even stabbed him with screwdrivers.”

The victim fell prey to the tit-for-tat violence that still occurs so often in deprived parts of Glasgow.

In Easterhouse, several warring gangs still stalk the streets: The Drummy, The Aggro, Provy, Den-Toi, Bal-Toi, Skinheads and Bar-L.

The 22-year-old victim of the savage beating was a member of The Provy. He was attacked by members of the Bal Toi and The Drummy, who were pursuing a grudge against him.

The Evening Times went to Easterhouse to meet kids that were affected by the gangs and gang members themselves. All were too scared to give their real names, for fear of reprisals from the notoriously brutal street gangs. We changed all their names.

Kids often have no choice but to get involved. Simon added: “Everyone’s in a gang around here, whether you fight or not. They can’t help it. You just get born into it. There’s no choice.”

Each gang in Easterhouse protects a territory of only a few streets, which they rarely leave for fear of attacks from their enemies. Hemmed in, they drink, smoke joints and engage in what police call “low level anti-social behavior”, the sort of vandalism which has such a detrimental effect on local people’s lives.

It is when they make forays into their enemy’s territory that trouble ensues. When the gangs meet, they play cat and mouse, chasing each other through the streets.

If someone is caught they are beaten or stabbed. The rush of adrenaline, coupled with the kick of cheap booze and the fact most gang kids carry weapons, often means these small fights can have life-changing consequences, leaving teenagers scarred for life or dead.

Gang fights in Easterhouse used to be exclusively the sort of pitched battles that Glasgow was famous for, where tooled-up groups of young men set about each other with any weapons they could get their hands on. Now, they are far more personal and impulsive.

Gangs use Bebo to wage psychological war against their opponents, posting pictures of themselves brandishing weapons on their opponent’s turf. It is images like these that the police use to make arrests, often using a ‘starburst’ tactic, which involves kicking down several gang members’ doors at the same time and dragging them off to the police station, charged with carrying weapons in a public place.

Petty arguments can also provoke vicious responses. Daniel, a 16-year-old who claimed not to be linked to gangs, said: “I was in a house and guys came through the windows and front door with machetes and hammers, all because a lassie who was going out with one of the guys there was arguing with her ex-boyfriend.

“He sent a load of guys up. I had to jump through the window to get away.”

All local kids agree that the members of gangs are getting younger and carrying weapons at an earlier age. Rumours circulating the estate suggest an eight-year-old was caught in school with a makeshift knife recently.

John, 16, is a member of The Drummy. He said: “There are wee boys walking about with golf clubs, carrying kitchen devils (knives). When the young ones are off school, there’s fighting every day.”

The legacy of gang membership leaves kids terrified. Even if they leave the gangs grievances from the past mean that an attack could happen at any time.

John added: “I can’t go anywhere, can’t walk around without looking over my shoulder. Somebody tried to hit me with a brick while I was just walking along in a day dream. I could have been killed.”

Part of the problem is the lack of local amenities. Members of The Aggro don’t have a local shop, so are forced to gather in a large group to even go to the local Spar store. This inevitably is interpreted as a show of strength and leads to confrontation.

There is little to do on the estate, so kids turn to hard-drinking and recreational violence.

But gangs are not the structured, organised group of criminals you would find in London or Manchester. They are bored, disadvantaged kids, bonded together in passionate friendship.

For kids who don’t have supportive families, this is a powerful incentive to join. Until the cycle is broken, this tragedy looks set to grind on and on.