Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Attack in Harringay Passges
Dear all,
Just recently elected as the new Chairman of the Tottenham Conservatives Association, I had the trauma and misfortune Thursday last on my way home to have been robbed and assaulted in Harringay Passage just off Turnpike Lane last Thursday night. A rather big strike to the head by three local men (probably around 19/20 years old) causing a considerable deep wound and a lot of blood lost. After being assaulted and threatened I was then robbed of my wallet and BlackBerry. Luckily, I did not become unconscious from the attack and managed to stagger to the local Hornsey Police Station where I reported the crime. Staff there were helpful and I was glad they were open. They telephoned for an ambulance and then I was taken the A&E unit at the Whittington. I would like to formally express my gratitude to the staff who treated me there – consummate professionalism and excellent care. Sadly, I feel local crime is still a big issue for Haringey and I very much hope that the local Labour Council is doing what it should to reduce attacks like this. In fact, I was informed on the subject that the local Labour Council do not seem to seek to place CCTV in the passages but only have this in the main road areas – most probably for reasons to do with income from parking NOT to protect its local citizens. This is not good – I doubt the local Council would admit to this.
I feel the safety of local citizens needs to be improved.
Tags for Forum Posts: assault, attack, council, crime, harringay, labour, passages, rape
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tim Caines on
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Yep, there were three of them. I think they probably lived near or around Turnpike Lane I would have thought.
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Permalink Reply by pamish on
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I'm curious re how they were so obviously local. All muggers look alien to me.
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Permalink Reply by Inkjetpack on
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Tim,
First of all let me say how sorry I am that you’ve been subjected to this altogether unpleasant episode and I hope you get better soon. I myself have had the misfortune to be subjected to a random act of street violence and unfortunately came off rather worse then yourself – be aware that it may take longer to process the incident then it takes for the wounds to heal!
I was in two minds whether to reply to your post as I will be away after today, but felt I should as I was very confused about what you’ve said. Are you suggesting that you were specifically targeted because of your link to the local Conservative Party? You seemed to be adamant that these were local youths, have you had previous dealings with them before?
Although you did identify yourself upfront as the new Chairman of the Tottenham Conservatives Association I was disappointed that you have attempted to use the incident for potential political gain. You could argue another view and say that the current polices of the ConLib government coalition have made councils chase revenue raising schemes and will also lead to higher property/street crime, etc, but I won’t. By the same token are you giving a cast iron guarantee that if the Tories take control of Haringey after the forthcoming local elections that you will install CCTV in the Passage? If not, you should withdraw your post.
There has been plenty of discussion in other forums on the merits or otherwise of CCTV which I won’t repeat at length here. It is doubtful that even monitored CCTV would have prevented you being attacked in the first place (it didn’t in my case which took place during daytime in the middle of a major road heavily covered by monitored CCTV and with lots of people about) – in areas which have it installed crime dips before returning to previous levels – its main use is really trying to identify perpetrators after the fact as long as there is a good face shot without disguises, etc.
Even with monitored CCTV stopping crimes underway is more to do with Police response times (I think target times for level 1 offences is still within 8 minutes once reported) or passersby intervening then anything else. Responding to crime and anti-social behavior is everyone’s responsibility; the Police can only be effective when they engage with and are supported by the local community.
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Hi Inkjetpack,
Thanks a lot for your post. I'm not adamant or totally sure they were local (this is just assumed to be honest) nor was my post meant to be political in any way. I've not attempted to use it for political gain. I'm sorry you felt that way as that was not my intention. I only mentioned it as I feel the Council have let people down - and others - by not using CCTV in the passages. I agree, the crime probably would have happened anyway, I could tell the young people who attacked me were looking for trouble and seemed to be hassling someone nearby before they ran after me - I guessed they were local and I did not know them - they wouldn't have known me at all so clearly there was no link with me being the Chairman of Tottenham Conservatives. I think they may have targeted me perhaps because I was wearing a suit but to be honest I would imagine they saw that they could steal something from me so that's why.
In any case, I appreciate your post and, again, I'm sorry you were disappointed -I insist you misunderstood my post. Any gain I would achieve from this post - and the only intention - is twofold. 1 - to make sure people are aware that crime of this sort continues in the passages and 2. that the Labour Council seem to not be doing enough to at least make people feel safer or at least go some way to help with identification following the incident.
Hope you're having a nice Easter.
I can't give a cast-iron guarantee that CCTV would be installed in the passages if the Conservatives become the controlling force of the Council although I think they need to be considered and there would be no harm and little problem in installing them there.
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Very sorry to hear about your misfortune, it's awful being the victim of a violent crime.
I'd be curious to know how you managed to identify your aggressors as local?
And don't you think it's your government which is failing to protect it's citizen by cutting police numbers?
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Sorry to hear about this Tim.
I don't think that for anyone this really ought in any way to be a party political issue or even a neighbourhood one. This type of crime happens all over the country including all parts of London. Causes are not so much local as national.
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Hi guys,
Sorry that this has escalated. I didn't mean it to be political.
Tim
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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A woman was raped in that bit of the passage last year. I think it is a problem and mostly caused by the overdevelopment of the houses on either side. The lighting is very poor, presumably because of all the "bedrooms" that overlook it. What time was this?
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Hi John,
It was at around 12.20am. In retrospect, I wished I'd tried to go into a shop but you never know if they're going to chase you in there! True - the lighting is poor - I'm mainly relieved I wasn't more physically hurt. I think one of them was surprised I had bled so much from the strike on my head. I went straight to Hornsey Police Station afterwards and reported it.
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You do bleed a lot if you get a cut on the head. Your cheek is capable of producing scary quantities of blood. I don't think anybody is surprised you are having your most rational thoughts after the event.
So they followed you from Turnpike Lane and into the passage where they belted you over the head? I don't see how you'd run into a shop if they were behind you in this instance.
Absolute wankers, don't let them stop you taking the passage back to Hampden Rd.
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Thanks John. I really appreciate your supportive words. I agree, I don't beleive they should have control over where I go but it has made me think twice about a few things. For example, I might try to avoid walking around in a suit in those parts at that time now plus I might avoid Turnpike Lane and go down Hampden Road instead or a ladder road further down.
Yes - they saw me from across the road on Turnpike Lane and as I glanced over at them I think they clocked me and then decided to come towards me. I then panicked slightly and thought I would quickly and hopefully subtly turn to walk up the passage but I sensed they may have spotted me. I then heard a shout from behind me - one of them stopped me and as I turned another ran up to me and smashed something into my forehead. I didn't want them to do worse so I made sure if they were going to steal from me I would make sure I handed stuff over. One of them was threatening me with a bottle in his hand so I didn't want to be hit again!
Thanks again for your words - first time this kind of thing has ever happened to me. I know many have fared much worse than me so I consider myself quite lucky to be honest!
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