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Police in stop-and-search following Nass’s murder
Solicitor brands new tactics against knife crime as draconian
YOUNGSTERS in three Islington districts were stopped and searched by the police this week under special powers to combat knife crime.
Operation Flamingo was launched on Monday following the recent murders of Nassirudeen Osawe, 16, and Martin Dinnegan, 15.
Under the legislation police officers are given wider powers to search anyone, and demand the removal of scarves, hoods or caps.
These were imposed on Elthorne estate, Packington estate, Angel, and Tufnell Park, on Tuesday and yesterday (Thursday).
In the coming week patrols will also continue in the three areas but with more limited powers of search.
On Tuesday officers made four arrests for possession of a weapon, three for carrying knives and one for carrying CS gas.
The searches were carried out by a team of 16 officers – eight undercover – led by Sgt Andy Mariner of the “proactive crime unit”.
Matt Foot, a duty solicitor at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court, said the powers were “draconian”.
“They don’t even have to have a reasonable suspicion, they just have a blanket power to search people,” he said. “It’s a completely draconian way for the police to operate. It’s just going to cause bad feeling.”
Sgt Mariner said: “We are anticipating using our stop and search powers but we have no specific targets.”
Borough commander Bob Carr added: “These types of patrols take place frequently.
“They reassure the public we are addressing the problem of knife crime and discourage young people from carrying knives.
“This is just one of the many tactics we use. Violent crime is on decline in Islington and we want this to continue.”
Priest hits out at press reports
ISLINGTON’S most senior Catholic priest has told how inaccurate reports in the national press have devastated the family of 16-year-old Nassirudeen Osawe.
Father Jim Kennedy, the Dean of Islington, made his comments at a meeting of the South Area Committee at Finsbury Leisure Centre on Monday night.
He said Nassirudeen’s family were distraught at suggestions in one newspaper that the teenager, who was stabbed to death on Upper Street two days after Christmas, was a gang member.
Father Jim said: “Nass was a practising Muslim but he came to the Catholic schools St Aloysius and St Charles Catholic College, and one of the things that really angers the family is the [newspaper’s] article. He was an example to the community. Nass was a decent, honest young man. He was not a gang member. The [newspaper] should apologise for what they said. He was nothing to do with a gang. The police still need witnesses.
“Nass’s mum is distraught and they are absolutely livid at what they said. I checked with both headmasters and he was never, ever in trouble. How dare they print that stuff?” |
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