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John Worker |
‘Two men came towards me, one with a gun, shouting: Let’s get ’em’
Police say crime is falling, but pensioner reveals how he saw a weapon wielded on street
HE had just gone out to buy a newspaper in King’s Cross, but when John Worker saw two men running towards him – one brandishing a gun – he froze in terror.
Mr Worker related the incident during a heated debate on crime at Islington Council’s west area committee meeting on Monday.
Islington police had presented statistics which suggested that crime across the borough was down by 11 per cent and that their biggest problem was dealing with the public’s fear that they could become a victim.
But Mr Worker, a pensioner who lives on the Priory Green estate, maintained that there was sometimes good reason for that fear. “When these two men came running towards me, one carrying the gun, they were shouting: ‘Let’s get ’em, let’s get ’em’,” he said. “They went in the opposite direction, but I was very scared.
“It’s one thing to hear about gun crime, but it is something else to see someone carrying a weapon in broad daylight.”
He later reported the incident to police but never heard if the culprits were caught.
“My point is that I was not the only one to notice the gunman,” Mr Worker added. “I am aware that at least six other local people saw him.
“But I understand I was the only one to report the incident. Everyone preferred to keep quiet.”
Another resident, Annabel Payne, described how she was mugged on her doorstep in Holloway Road on New Year’s Eve.
Ms Payne said that a six-foot tall youth aged about 15 or 16 tried to grab her handbag. “In the end I held onto it,” she said. “But I still felt sorry for him. As he was walking away I gave him £3 to buy some food. He looked like he needed it.”
Labour councillor Paul Convery spoke about the recent stabbing of 16-year-old student Nassirudeen Osawe at the Angel. “The suddenness and apparent randomness of the stabbing makes it all so incomprehensible,” he added. “It’s an extremely rare incident in the borough but it doesn’t stop people worrying that it could happen to them.”
Chairman of the committee, Labour councillor Barry Gardner, spoke of an elderly woman who was badly bruised when mugged a few years ago. “She won’t leave the house,” he said.
Lib Dem councillor Emily Fieran-Reed asked police whether anti-social behaviour – the biggest source of complaints in the borough – had increased as a result of 24-hour licensing.
She was told that, while certain establishments had been targeted by police because of incidents, generally anti-social behaviour associated with pubs and clubs was “under control”.
Cllr Convery said that only the sight of more police on the beat would reassure the public. He added: “No amount of statistics that crime is coming down will solve the problem. People need to see and recognise their local policeman or woman.”
Spread the word, our streets are safer
HOW many muggings are there in Islington on average each day?
It was a question put to the audience and councillors at Monday’s west area committee by police inspector Steve Riley during a debate on crime.
The reply from members of the public was about a dozen or more. In fact, said Insp Riley, there are about five muggings a day on average.
He was trying to point out that the public’s perception of crime was far worse than the reality.
How many burglaries a day? he asked. About 18-20, said one man. “Eight on a bad day,” Insp Riley replied. How many vehicles are broken into each day? “About 15.”
Insp Riley revealed that police are considering advertising the drop in crime.
“We’re talking about taking advertising space on the Tube,” he added. “And even putting the good news on a matrix sign in, say, Upper Street.”
Crime in Islington is falling more than in any other inner London borough, according to Islington police. They report a 14 per cent cut in residential burglary, 20 per cent reduction in vehicle crime and 11 per cent drop in robberies.
The decrease in crime and the increase in detection rates are attributed to a partnership approach involving police, Islington Council, the courts and other authorities.
“It’s very good news,” Insp Riley added. “Now we’ve just got to get that message across.” |
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