Repost: Man on bike with a long pole attacked a child's head in daylight

[Ann16]

I am reposting this since it was lost after website migration.

My son (a child) was attacked on 7th July between 12 - 1pm by a man with a bike and a long pole.

My son went out for a jog all by himself in the neighbourhood. The attacker chased him from across the street, shouted racially abusive and homophobic language, and finally beat him on the head with the pole. My son was knocked down to the ground and didn't see which way the attacker went.

There was no one around on the residential street and it all happened very quickly. My son was extremely afraid of being followed and therefore ran towards the busy streets. He made a loop home and constantly checking around. He spotted the attacker's bike and pole outside a local pub.

All these happened less than 10 minutes away from home. It involved Henslowe Road, Upland Road and Crystal Palace Road, as far as I am aware.

As it's an ongoing police investigation, I would be very grateful if you can check your Ring/ CCTV footage and see if it picked up a man with bike and pole passing by on the 7th July. The investigation case reference number is 3020157/22. If there are more footage than what the pub has, the police would have more evidence to continue.

This is the second time that my son was followed by the attacker. Back in April this year, the attacker followed him on Friern Road and used racist and homophobic language which he ignored.

From the previous post, it seemed that there has been someone, who may or may not be the attacker, have had aggressive behavior that are known to some locals. It's very unsettling to know that the attacker hang around locally and have become more hostile and dangerous towards a child. The attacker is not going to stop there if he faces no consequcne for causing bodily and psychological harm. And it's completely unfair that our children can't go out in the neighbourhood just for a short peroid of time in the daylight while the attacker gets a free pass.

[firth]

This is not sustainable and needs to be stopped asap

[Sue]

Silly question sorry, but did you ask inside the pub?

I hope your child is not too traumatised.

I also hope the police are more helpful than it sounded from the original thread which was lost.

[ianr]

5,2285583.pdfI have a copy of the thread as it was two days ago, from my browser cache.

I tried to attach it here but but got the message: "Invalid file extension: 5,2285583.pdf". I'll pass this on to Joe, as it may well be remediable.

Now ? attached. I'm pleased to see the links within it seem to have been converted to map to the respective folders here.

[Kellyco]

Do you have a rough description of the man?

[Pugwash]

There will be a Dulwich Hill SNT meeting on 27th July. Usually starts around 6.30 pm but we check when I have more details) It is held at Christ Church Barry Road and open to all residents living in the Dulwich Hill ward. You can meet (in person) your local police team.

[teddyboy23]

He's of mixed race he works out lives up top lordship lane near library goes buy the name Chris police know all about him last few years

[sweetgirl]

Is this not the same guy who someone took a pic of?

I think the pic was on the “Nextdoor” website where this guy had thrown, I think a gate in someone else’s bin………

The complainant had the pic off their ring doorbell.

[Pugwash]

I can now confirm that the SNT meeting at Christ Church is 18.30 27th July 2022. Will be held in the cafe area of the church.

The team are also encouraging residents to discuss any concerns on July 25th 3 pm outside Goodrich Community Primary School. If you cannot make the 27th this may be an option for you.

We had zoom meetings during lock down but these were poorly attended so we are now back to face to face meetings.

[sweetgirl]

https://nextdoor.co.uk/p/dbSQh4zc6RbP/c/17592243016624?init_source=search&query=Man%20using%20bin

Is this the guy?

[Froglander]

So sorry to hear what happened. Have you contacted any newspapers or other media about this?

[Jamma]

Surely the police can pick him up fairly easily? Known to some as 'Fred the window cleaner'. Shouted some very horrible abuse at me and my son as we walked home evening of July 12 then scarpered when a neighbour emerged with their dogs and started shouting back at him!

I've seen him give the same sort of abuse at other people before. If he sees a parent with a child he tends to shout at them that they are a paedophile.

He also does a thing where he pretends to be on the phone while talking to/being rude to women walking past.

It's not OK. He clearly has some issues and needs help. But if he's now physically attacking people then it clearly has to stop.

I'll email the Safer Neighbourhoods team now and suggest others do the same.

(not sure why the police are holding a meeting outside Goodrich school on July 25 when it'll be shut?!)

[cassidy]

Is he the guy that's been pestering people on henslowe road and surrounding streets with offers of window cleaning and shouting when offers are declined.

[teddyboy23]

Yes

[Sydney Carton]

I saw this guy today in Court Lane. He was circling around on (his) bike with an aluminium telescopic pole. He's been to our door before trying the window cleaner routine and then swearing when I said no thanks. Beware. Box of frogs.

[LMCPR]

Another post https://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?p=2285728&hilit=pole#p2285728

Talking about the same guy allegedly his name is Chris M C K e N N A

[Penguin68]

If this is the same person who has been described, and indeed named, elsewhere then he appears to have moved from being a nuisance to a danger, and he may indeed need to be arrested in order to be sectioned. However, the police are very poorly equipped to handle mental health issues (and indeed the NHS itself is woefully under-resourced - there are I think only one or two ambulances across London that can handle mental health issues with paramedics trained in psychiatric and psychological health responses. It is not impossible that the man is already under treatment but is not taking his medication, or is exacerbating his problems through drink or (non prescribed) drugs. It is quite likely that he has already been sectioned (possibly more than once).

I don't want to live in a society where the mentally ill are simply locked away because they are mentally ill - that seems inherently wrong save in the case of the criminally insane - and yet we seem to have few other remedies. If it is true (I don't know whether it is) that he has been 'treated' but is now ignoring the treatment I am again concerned that we should be able to force treatment on someone. I remember the shock and anger I felt when I first saw 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next'.

This is inherently a difficult issue. Which doesn't lessen the shock and distress of the child attacked.

[LMCPR]

Just call Southwark Adult social care.

[TreacleRabbit]

I think I encountered this man on Lordship Lane today at the crossing outside Marks & Spencer’s near Northcross Road.

A man on a bicycle ride through the crossing on red, with a long silver coloured pole horizontal across his bike. He rode through the pedestrians as they were crossing, and the pole almost caught my small child in the face. The children were very scared, and when I told him what has happened he cycled back and started ranting that he was being picked on.

He was threatening and scary. I will report him to 101 as soon as the website is back up and running.

Posting to warn others. He is dangerous.

[Pugwash]

Last time I heard- the police had taken away his pole and were awaiting some CCTV evidence.

He is known to Dulwich Hill Neighbourhood team

Suggest you email [email protected]

[TreacleRabbit]

Thanks for the email address - I have emailed them directly now.

[Otto2]

He just followed me home and then knocked on the door and started an unhinged threatening conversation. Awaiting police. Do have him on my door camera at least.

[Castleton]

Saw him today in Sainsbury's DKH carpark, shouting homophobic abuse.

Just emailed it in

[Penguin68]

From all the reports it seems likely that the man is suffering some form of mental problem - whilst his actions appear both dangerous and upsetting his level of cognitive control over them may be limited.

The police are not best positioned to handle issues of mental health - their remedies of arrest and lock-up are hardly ideal - and mental health services within the NHS are limited and poorly funded. Getting someone sectioned is of limited value where the patient resists treatment, and I don't want to live in a society which believes unlimited imprisonment is a good option for the mentally ill.

I believe there may be as few as two specialist emergency teams (ambulance based paramedics trained in mental health issues) across London. And none outside. (Happy to stand corrected on that).

The recent Panorama TV programme on a medium secure unit was very troubling.

[alice]

I agree with your post but are you implying that those with such mental health difficulties are immune from prosecution if a crime has been committed?