There has been a spate of recent attacks in the area, so please be alert and make sure others known to you are aware of the situation. Here are some from the last week. The police numbers are: 0845 4567000 (New Bridewell Police Station) or 999 if it is an emergency:
1) At 1am this morning (4 April 2007), my son was subjected to an unprovoked attack by a group of four strangers. Their motive appears appears to have been robbery. My son was aware that he was being followed, so phoned the police on his mobile phone. He reached our wrought iron gate (locked at night) just as his assailants caught up with him. He tossed his mobile phone, wallet, and house keys into the patio, out of reach. This really annoyed his attackers, who proceeded to beat him up. Fortunately, I heard the commotion and went out to see what was happening. At this point, they legged it. The police arrived not long after, to take a statement.
My son’s body is badly bruised, and he has a nasty injury to his left eye (where one of them thumped him). We visited A&E at the Eye Hospital this morning. Apparently, the blow to his eye has ruptured a blood vessel. He has a further appointment this afternoon, to check whether there is any damage to his retina.
The police have asked my son to visit the police station in Southmead tomorrow afternoon (between 2 and 4pm), so that they can take some photos of his injuries – especially his face. These will be used in court, assuming that the police manage to track down his attackers.
All four of the attackers were wearing hoodies and were on bikes. My son estimates that they are in their late teens. He has been able to describe 2 of them:
Assailant 1: Black, height ~6′. Short cropped hair, square jaw, athletic build.
Assailant 2: White, height ~5’10”. Wearing a dark green hoody, which hid his hair. Some metal piercing on his face (possibly a ring in his eyebrow). Slim build.
This group of people was loitering at the intersection of Kingsdown Parade and Montague Hill. My son was unlucky to encounter them when he was alone.
If you have youngsters at home over Easter, please warn them to be extra vigilant (and preferably not by themselves). If anyone sees this group late
at night, it is probably a good idea to contact the police.
2) On 6th April, The victim left the Bell public house, Alfred Place, Kingsdown on foot and made her way home. While walking on Sydenham Hill towards Cotham Brow she became aware of someone walking behind her. She turned and saw the offender who asked her if there was a problem. The offender then grabbed the victim and, in her words, ‘jumped all over her’. He demanded money while repeatedly punching her around the head, causing considerable swelling to the left side of her face. The offender then made off with the victim’s handbag.
(limited) Description: black male, 5’9″ tall, slim build, short hair
3) ROBBERY on 8th April @ 20.40 hours the two victims were walking along ARLEY HILL heading into town for a night out. As they approached the ARLEY HILL junction with NUGENT HILL the two male suspects being a black male and white male approached the victims.
The black male approached one victim.1 and asked him for his money and mobile phone and told the victim he had a knife. No knife was seen. The black male then proceeded to briefly search the pockets of victim.1 and found his mobile phone. Victim.1 tried to get his phone back from the black male and a brief struggle ensued and the suspect ran off NUGENT HILL, where he hid in a garden on SYDENHAM HILL.
Whilst this was going on the white male suspect asked victim.2 if he had any money and said he also had a knife – no knife shown or seen. Then there was a brief struggle but no items were taken from victim.2 and then the white male walked up NUGENT HILL and just stood around and watched the victims search for the black male.
Both victims found the black male hiding in the garden on SYDENHAM LANE and victim.1 got his phone back and black male ran off down SYDENHAM LANE. The white male just stood AROUND and watched and then walked off slowly in the same direction.
1. Black male, early 20’s, 5’8″ tall, medium build, dark cap, dark jeans, black hooded top.
2. White male, slim build, early 20’s, pale complexsion, sunken eyes, 5,8″ – 5’10” tall, grey hooded top and bottoms and white trainers.
