A pensioner shot at while walking her dog in broad daylight claims police told her to ‘use another park’.Ann Laycock was walking her King Charles Spaniel on St Georges playing fields off Ladbrooke Road, Ashton at 2pm on Saturday when youths targeted her."There were four of them. They were walking towards me. The older one took what appeared to be a gun out of the belt of his trousers," she said."He held his hand right out at me and then fired. I was petrified. I heard a click. One of the four said ‘you’ve missed her’, so I started to walk on."Fearing for her life the 68 year old, who lives off St Christopher’s Road, Ashton called the police but claims she was told they were too busy to attend and she should use another park."Nothing was done, that’s the upsetting part. I couldn’t believe it when they said go to another park. This is my park, it’s a children’s park," said Mrs Laycock.But police say officers were on the scene within 15 minutes and the incident was given suitable priority.The next day Mrs Laycock mentioned the incident to her local councillor, Richard Ambler, who contacted police. A sergeant told him they had been too busy to deal with the matter as they had been dealing with a ‘major incident’. However, he was told an officer would investigate.On Sunday evening — 30 hours later — a crime number was posted through Mrs Laycock’s letterbox.Councillor Ambler said: "I am deeply concerned that an incident of this nature should receive such scant response from the police. "We are fully supportive of the police and accept they are busy, but this blatant inaction does not inspire public confidence."It is shocking that a shooting incident appears so far down their list of priorities, especially coming so soon after their slow reaction to the incident at Newton railway station. Informing my shaken constituent that she should walk her dog in another park is scandalous."Police say they tried to contact Mrs Laycock after her call and made a search of the area within 15 minutes. They add that they arranged to interview Mrs Laycock but she herself rearranged the time.A spokesman said: "GMP take all incidents of this nature very seriously and we will be investigating this offence thoroughly and we are currently speaking with the lady concerned. GMP are very aware as to threats posed by people carrying firearms and will continue to respond at all times to reports of this nature as quickly and as effectively as possible."Anyone with information about the incident should phone police on 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Pensioner shot at - poor police response
A pensioner shot at while walking her dog in broad daylight claims police told her to ‘use another park’.Ann Laycock was walking her King Charles Spaniel on St Georges playing fields off Ladbrooke Road, Ashton at 2pm on Saturday when youths targeted her."There were four of them. They were walking towards me. The older one took what appeared to be a gun out of the belt of his trousers," she said."He held his hand right out at me and then fired. I was petrified. I heard a click. One of the four said ‘you’ve missed her’, so I started to walk on."Fearing for her life the 68 year old, who lives off St Christopher’s Road, Ashton called the police but claims she was told they were too busy to attend and she should use another park."Nothing was done, that’s the upsetting part. I couldn’t believe it when they said go to another park. This is my park, it’s a children’s park," said Mrs Laycock.But police say officers were on the scene within 15 minutes and the incident was given suitable priority.The next day Mrs Laycock mentioned the incident to her local councillor, Richard Ambler, who contacted police. A sergeant told him they had been too busy to deal with the matter as they had been dealing with a ‘major incident’. However, he was told an officer would investigate.On Sunday evening — 30 hours later — a crime number was posted through Mrs Laycock’s letterbox.Councillor Ambler said: "I am deeply concerned that an incident of this nature should receive such scant response from the police. "We are fully supportive of the police and accept they are busy, but this blatant inaction does not inspire public confidence."It is shocking that a shooting incident appears so far down their list of priorities, especially coming so soon after their slow reaction to the incident at Newton railway station. Informing my shaken constituent that she should walk her dog in another park is scandalous."Police say they tried to contact Mrs Laycock after her call and made a search of the area within 15 minutes. They add that they arranged to interview Mrs Laycock but she herself rearranged the time.A spokesman said: "GMP take all incidents of this nature very seriously and we will be investigating this offence thoroughly and we are currently speaking with the lady concerned. GMP are very aware as to threats posed by people carrying firearms and will continue to respond at all times to reports of this nature as quickly and as effectively as possible."Anyone with information about the incident should phone police on 872 5050 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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4 comments:
A pensioner rang the police to report he could hear intruders trying to break into his house .The response from the police? We are too busy and have no officers available to attend. Lock all your doors and windows and we'll call in a couple of days. The pensioner rang back moments later and said " Don't bother sending anyone, I've shot them." Within minutes several police cars arrived. "I thought you said you'd shot them?" asked the police. "I thought you said there were no officers available" replied the pensioner.
"We are too busy and have no officers available to attend"
Too busy writing reports no doubt, and delivering crime numbers.
Check this out
http://coppersblog.blogspot.com/
or better still, read PC Copperfield's book.
The best police force in the world.
The dog still looks very startled from the incident!
Wise words again from Councillor Richard Ambler again.
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