The first thing I have got to say is a massive "thank you" to everyone who has got in touch. There have been several comments left here, but the number of emails of support has been amazing, 60+ at the last count. That in itself has cheered mum up immeasurably. And the things people have done for us have been unbelievable - everything from helpful suggestions through to people who have taken up the cudgel on our behalf, making calls to and sending emails to the relevant people in the police and the local authority, and calling me and talking me through complaints procedures; and everything from suggesting good ways to treat mum's dog's wounds through to posting me homeopathic remedies to help mum's bone healing. Some of these people I have met at my son's gigs etc, but many are people who I have never even spoken to before who have gone out of their way to help. I have tried to thank everyone individually, and I hope there is nobody I have missed in doing this, but I would also like to say thank you again to everyone who has been in touch - you have all been unbelievable, and it really does restore your faith in human nature.
In terms of what has been happening: firstly and most importantly both mum and dog are doing well. As well as keeping herself fit and healthy, a polite way of describing mum could perhaps be "stubborn"! She has amazed doctors and physios, and has actually now come home (at least a week earlier than the doctors thought, and earlier than any of the other patients on her ward who are a lot younger and had similar ops much earlier than her). OK, maybe it was more like "discharged herself" because she was just so desperate to get out to look after her dog, but they agreed in the end ...
Toby the greyhound is also doing incredibly well considering his age. He is still obviously in a lot of pain when he walks, but his wounds are healing well. He is still not eating, but I have found that if you smear a mix of chicken and pate on his fur he then proceeds to lick it off to clean himself up, and eventually (very eventually!!) you can get sufficient food down him that way ...
With the help and support of many of you I ended up involving the local MP, Jon Cruddas, who said he was going to be taking the matter up with the Borough Commander; the local paper, who have been incredibly supportive; and I have also now made a formal complaint about the handling of the case to the Professional Standards Department at Scotland Yard. And yesterday (Thursday), thanks to all the pressure which has been put on them, I heard that the police are now going to be opening up a proper criminal investigation into the matter. A week too late, of course, especially in terms of things like evidential photos, tracing witnesses etc., but at least something is now going to happen. It was the reporter from the local paper who told me this (I heard from the police a couple of hours later), which I guess indicates their priorities here, but fantastic news nonetheless.
Anyway, at about noon yesterday I got a call from an incredibly helpful sergeant from the Safer Neighbourhoods team. He was really friendly and really supportive, and at least now I know I have got someone in the police who I can talk to if I need to; he really couldn't have been more helpful. I have yet to hear from anyone else following this up, but at least I know that the wheels are now in motion.
But, at the risk of sounding ungrateful, it should never have come to this. It shouldn't take this much time and effort, with so much help and support from so many of you, to have got to the stage where the police are finally doing what they should have done a week ago. The investigating officer seems to have had some sort of underlying agenda, and the concept of serving the public (or stakeholder relationship management as it is no doubt called these days) until yesterday seemed to have passed everyone by. In particular, for the duty Inspector to refuse to come down to have a two minute conversation with me the day after the attack while my mum was in surgery was, in my opinion, disgraceful behaviour. I accept that he was under no statutory obligation to do so, but I would have thought common human decency would have dictated that he should have; another outdated concept I guess. The desk officer at Romford police station who was dealing with me couldn't have been kinder and more helpful, and she called him at least once and went up to see him twice, the second time (at my insistence) taking my phone with her to show him the pictures of mum's injuries. And he still refused to come to talk to me, or to even consider reviewing the file again, and from her demeanour when she returned I got the impression that he had probably also expressed his displeasure at being disturbed again.
And of course, I have concerns that the investigation may have been damaged by this entirely avoidable delay. As far as I am aware no witness details were taken by the officer attending, as in their opinion it was simply "no action necessary". Evidential photos of mum's injuries were not taken despite my requesting on at least two occasions. Nobody has yet visited the other dog's owner to check her dog's injuries (after all, according to her statement the two dogs had a fight, so it must have injuries), or indeed to check if it is a banned breed. And still nobody has, even a week later, asked my mum for her version of events.
But anyway: let's end this on a positive note. Just a massive "thank you" once again to everyone who has been so incredibly kind and generous. You are all wonderful, and I genuinely don't know what I would have done without you all.
In terms of what has been happening: firstly and most importantly both mum and dog are doing well. As well as keeping herself fit and healthy, a polite way of describing mum could perhaps be "stubborn"! She has amazed doctors and physios, and has actually now come home (at least a week earlier than the doctors thought, and earlier than any of the other patients on her ward who are a lot younger and had similar ops much earlier than her). OK, maybe it was more like "discharged herself" because she was just so desperate to get out to look after her dog, but they agreed in the end ...
Toby the greyhound is also doing incredibly well considering his age. He is still obviously in a lot of pain when he walks, but his wounds are healing well. He is still not eating, but I have found that if you smear a mix of chicken and pate on his fur he then proceeds to lick it off to clean himself up, and eventually (very eventually!!) you can get sufficient food down him that way ...
With the help and support of many of you I ended up involving the local MP, Jon Cruddas, who said he was going to be taking the matter up with the Borough Commander; the local paper, who have been incredibly supportive; and I have also now made a formal complaint about the handling of the case to the Professional Standards Department at Scotland Yard. And yesterday (Thursday), thanks to all the pressure which has been put on them, I heard that the police are now going to be opening up a proper criminal investigation into the matter. A week too late, of course, especially in terms of things like evidential photos, tracing witnesses etc., but at least something is now going to happen. It was the reporter from the local paper who told me this (I heard from the police a couple of hours later), which I guess indicates their priorities here, but fantastic news nonetheless.
Anyway, at about noon yesterday I got a call from an incredibly helpful sergeant from the Safer Neighbourhoods team. He was really friendly and really supportive, and at least now I know I have got someone in the police who I can talk to if I need to; he really couldn't have been more helpful. I have yet to hear from anyone else following this up, but at least I know that the wheels are now in motion.
But, at the risk of sounding ungrateful, it should never have come to this. It shouldn't take this much time and effort, with so much help and support from so many of you, to have got to the stage where the police are finally doing what they should have done a week ago. The investigating officer seems to have had some sort of underlying agenda, and the concept of serving the public (or stakeholder relationship management as it is no doubt called these days) until yesterday seemed to have passed everyone by. In particular, for the duty Inspector to refuse to come down to have a two minute conversation with me the day after the attack while my mum was in surgery was, in my opinion, disgraceful behaviour. I accept that he was under no statutory obligation to do so, but I would have thought common human decency would have dictated that he should have; another outdated concept I guess. The desk officer at Romford police station who was dealing with me couldn't have been kinder and more helpful, and she called him at least once and went up to see him twice, the second time (at my insistence) taking my phone with her to show him the pictures of mum's injuries. And he still refused to come to talk to me, or to even consider reviewing the file again, and from her demeanour when she returned I got the impression that he had probably also expressed his displeasure at being disturbed again.
And of course, I have concerns that the investigation may have been damaged by this entirely avoidable delay. As far as I am aware no witness details were taken by the officer attending, as in their opinion it was simply "no action necessary". Evidential photos of mum's injuries were not taken despite my requesting on at least two occasions. Nobody has yet visited the other dog's owner to check her dog's injuries (after all, according to her statement the two dogs had a fight, so it must have injuries), or indeed to check if it is a banned breed. And still nobody has, even a week later, asked my mum for her version of events.
But anyway: let's end this on a positive note. Just a massive "thank you" once again to everyone who has been so incredibly kind and generous. You are all wonderful, and I genuinely don't know what I would have done without you all.
Hi Keith, I think the Duty Inspector who treated you so badly should have a name, and everybody should know who he is. I wonder how he would've reacted had it been his own mother, or wife, or worse still - for even greater paranoia - his 'children' (the Little Gods..!)?
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely disgraceful behaviour.
All the best,
Geof Harris
Oh, the Duty Inspector has a name, as does the investigating officer. And I also have a name, address and phone number for the owner of the dangerous dog.
ReplyDeleteBut tempted as I was to publish those details I really don't believe in doing things that way. At present the necessary wheels appear to be turning, and in due course hopefully the right thing will be done both in terms of the dangerous dog and also in terms of my formal complaint about the way this case has been handled.
Thank you for your support