Police at Warwick Gardens (October 11)

[giantbears]

I live on Lyndhurst Grove and walk through WG a lot in the evenings. Never again I guess. Surprised we didn't get a leaflet actually.

[taper]

The Police leafleted my house on LG.

[Chick]

Beulah Wrote:

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> It was a rape.

> And let's not blame the victim eh?

> She had every right to expect to walk home at

> whatever time of night without being attacked by

> total scum like this.

> If it's a "dodgy area" then we should make it safe

> - I don't want any no-go areas in my manor do

> you?

Who has blamed the victim?

[gm99]

As a daily user of Warwick Gardens this is very sobering. I hope they catch the bastard that did this.

As nice as the park is in the day, I cannot imagine walking through it at night. I'm not sure how you could make it completely 'safe' - perhaps lock it up at night.

Where my parents used to live a number of their neighbours got in the habit of leaving their curtains open in the evenings when sat in their living rooms. I like to think it sent a message to any strangers in the area that they could not pass unseen.

[david_carnell]

I cycle through Warwick Gdns every morning and it's a lovely park.

As Taper says, a lot of hard work has transformed it with new play equipment, the Green Flag award and (previously) the Winding event with live music and food.

I wouldn't advocate walking through ANY park alone at night and certainly WG would be included in this. Again, not sure what more could be done to make it safer aside from locking it up entirely.

My sympathies to the woman concerned and hopefully the police will find the culprit.

[toffeese15]

I suppose one of the problems with locking it at night is that it would inconvenience a lot of people who walk their dogs when they get home from work. I'd cycle though the park at night, but wouldn't walk through it. The time saved just doesn't seem worth the risk. As the above poster says, walking through any park on your own at night carries inherent risks.

[taper]

Shutting the park at night would be very unpopular. Southwark tried to do so some years ago and there was a huge protest against.

Better lighting would help. The current lights are not as good as the ones we had (removed a year or so ago because they were rusting). I'm involved with the Friends of WG, for whom this has long been an issue. And in the light of the recent incident, we plan to pursue the issue of safety with Southwark and the local Police. Happy to feed in any views people might have.

[Sue]

taper Wrote:

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> Shutting the park at night would be very

> unpopular. Southwark tried to do so some years

> ago and there was a huge protest against.

>

xxxxxxx

Do you know why there was a protest?

It's common practice to shut parks at night, surely, for obvious reasons - to prevent the kind of incident which sadly has just happened.

When the park next to Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill was not locked at night as it should have been (though I don't think this is a council-run park), there was an incident there as well. Can't remember exactly what, I think it was a mugging. After which they were a bit more conscientious about making sure it was locked.

[taper]

Warwick Gardens is used a lot as a thoroughfare, so people heading to and from from work via Peckham Rye. Historically, a road (Azenby) ran through it to Lyndhurst Way. When the houses were demolished and a green space created, it was kept open. Not unusual in southwark: Burgess Park is similar although on a bigger scale.

I think the dog walkers were behind the protests about ten years ago. I certainly support keeping it open 24 hours. Southwark is lousy at keeping its parks open during hours when people want to use them. Closing WG would inconvenience a lot of people and force more pedestrians and cyclists onto Lyndhurst Grove which can be a bit of rat run. But more importantly, I think closing it would be a victory for the scumbags who commit crimes like this. Better use, better lighting and people being aware of the risks are the way forward, rather than closing it down for half the day.

[Sue]

taper Wrote:

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> Better use, better lighting and

> people being aware of the risks are the way

> forward, rather than closing it down for half the

> day.

xxxxxxxx

I see your points, although personally there's no way I would walk through an area like that at night, however well lit. Being "aware of the risks" isn't much help if one of the risks happens, is it?

And "closing it down for half the day" is a bit of an exaggeration, surely? Parks are normally open until dusk, which varies in time for month to month.

ETA: I find it slightly irritating - in the Winter particularly when it closes early - when I have to walk the long way round to DHFC (next to Sainsbury's on Dog Kennel Hill) rather than being able to cut through the park.

But I'd rather have to walk a bit further than risk being attacked :(

Obviously in an ideal world this wouldn't be an issue, but sadly in London it is. It doesn't stop me doing what I want - just makes me a bit more careful about how I do it.

ETA: In case of any doubt, I am in no way blaming the person who was attacked in Warwick Gardens, and I hope they catch the bastard who did it soon.

And there are several issues involved here - locking up parks at night is just one of them.

[greenwater]

My friend was mugged in WG a few years ago... And she was walking home with my other friend (male) so wasn't even alone. Ok - it was 4am, but... Local residents - pls be aware that the closed off, secluded nature of this park makes it easy pickings for those intent on harming others.

[mis25]

For all those who oppose safety improvements to Warwick Parks

I was saddened to hear of this recent attack. My two beautiful girlfriends and I were brutally attacked in this park in August last year around 9pm. One of us suffered a knife wound in the back. I find it hard to type this, but I cant? tell you how upsetting it is, that a year on; no improvements to the parks? safety has been made. The investigation went on for months and during this time there were many discussions over the parks' safety - closing at night, better lighting and security cameras.

Crime prevention, a responsible community and better security could have prevented this appalling crime.

[DJKillaQueen]

It's a difficult one to address. Many attacks are often just a case of 'wrong place, wrong time' and we don't want to live our lives thinking 'what if'. Having said that though, the people that carry out these kinds of crimes are always going to look for locations that suit them, ie isolated and dark. Better lighting would definitely help (to deter both the criminal and to better allow those using the pask to assess danger) and given how small Warwick Gardens is, might be feasible.

[taper]

The Friends of the park are working with LB Southwark as a matter of urgency to improve the lighting. We'll be arranging a public meeting soon to discuss other measures and I'll post details once arranged.

[greenwater]

I heard they have caught the guy who raped this poor girl. Does anyone have any confirmation?

[ianr]

> I heard they have caught the guy who raped this poor girl. Does anyone have any confirmation?

If anyone has been arrested, the case is sub judice, and any comment about a person concerned, if likely to be prejudicial to the trial process, might be deemed a punishable contempt of court. The proper thing is not to speculate in public, and to leave the decision about anyone's guilt to a jury.

And then there's the question of potential libel ... Another good reason for a little self control.

[James Barber]

Hi taper,

It might be worth submitting a Cleaner, Greener, Safer bid. The application period is open for next Financial Year.

This would help provide and allocate money for works.

[taper]

Thanks James

We're doing just that. Southwark officers are being very helpful, so we're quietly confident.

[Penguin68]

Just for confirmation - the process is as follows:-

An individual may be arrested - (this does not mean that they have been charged for any offence. An 'arrest' ensures that all interrogation is conducted under the rules of PACE and allows any subsequent statement to be used in evidence).

An Individual may be charged

An individual may be brought to trial

An individual may be found guilty - and only at this stage is that individual 'the guy who raped the girl'

[taper]

The rapist has now been sentenced.

http://crimeandjustice.co.uk/2013/04/24/rapist-jailed-peckham/

And those of you who use it will know new lights have now gone in and improved visibility on the path a lot. To my knowledge there have been no attacks in WG recently.