Friday, January 26, 2007

Declan presses charges for physical assault

Last night in the WLCHC (West London Churches Homeless Concern) rolling shelter at St Barnabas Church in Kensington we were told by the coordinator on duty that he was satisfied the assault on Declan the night before last was an accident.

This morning – we are woken at 6.00am – Declan and I left the shelter straight away and headed for Hammersmith Police Station to press charges. Declan was given his crime reference number (6002035-07) and told by PC Stephanie Tann (737FH) that the incident had yet to be investigated by her, but that she would telephone Declan before the end of next week.

So the police have now to interview this homeless guy, and I am hoping that all of that takes place in one of the rolling shelters we sleep in at night. Perhaps that would give pause for thought to any homeless emboldened by “the accident”.

This afternoon, Declan emailed the vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton, Nicky Gumbel. Holy Trinity Brompton is an Anglican church in Knightsbridge, of whose Social Transformation programme WLCHC is a part. This is the email:

Subject: Physical Assault

Dear Vicar Gumbel

I refer to my telephone conversation this morning with your PA, Ms Roslyn Dehaan, and wish to reconfirm that I have pressed charges for physical assault on 25 January (3.30am) at the WLCHC rolling shelter at Riverside Community Church in Hammersmith.

Yours sincerely
Declan Heavey