Ticket machine at Worle Station (merged topics)

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

"A man who tried to stop a gang from vandalising a ticket machine at a train station was attacked and left with a broken jaw and nose.  British Transport Police are investigating the attack at Worle Parkway train station.

The victim, Sam McMurran, aged 58. approached a group of five or six youths who were damaging a ticket machine at the station.  He asked them to stop but the youths turned on him and started attacking him until he fell to the floor. Mr McMurran, of Christon, near Axbridge, said: "This attack has not only left me physically injured, it has made me fearful and I should not have to feel this way.  I^m speaking out because I want these thugs to be identified and arrested for their crime.  I don^t want anyone else to be a victim of these people and I ask anyone who saw me being attacked or who has information that might help the investigation to contact police."

Detective Constable Richard Day said: "This was a vicious and unprovoked attack and we are treating this investigation very seriously.  A group of five or six youths were causing damage to a ticket machine at Worle railway station when the victim approached them and asked them to stop.  The youth then began to attack him knocking him to the floor and leaving him with a fractured cheek bone, fractured nose and split lip.  The group fled the station before the police arrived."

The attack happened at about 9.30pm on Wednesday evening, but the police have today made an appeal for witnesses.  Anyone who saw anything should call British Transport Police on 0800 405040 quoting incident number 609 of 29/10/08 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."

For full details, see http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Man-attacked-confronting-vandals/article-441911-detail/article.html

Chris from Nailsea

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

things like this really irritate me  if i caught the lil ****s (yes that begins with a c!!!) i would well i would end up in prison for abh more than what they would get which is one of the problems these days

[Chris from Nailsea]

An update on this story, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page): http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/somerset/7713021.stm

[John R]

There was quite a long item about this on News at Ten last night. They alleged that the CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) cameras at the station were not working, which if true do not show FGW^▸ (First Great Western) in a very good light.

[Chris from Nailsea]

True, and confirmed on BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) West this evening: FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are apparently conducting 'an urgent review' of their security measures.

[John R]

They might save a bit too on broken ticket machines if the vandals responsible were caught on working cameras and apprehended.

[Chris from Nailsea]

BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) News video report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7717016.stm

[vacman]

I hope that they catch the little f*ckers, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have a few stations where the camera's don't work and it's about time they spent some money on them!

[Chris from Nailsea]

POLICE ARREST EIGHT TEENAGERS IN CONNECTION WITH ASSAULT ^ WORLE

British Transport Police has arrested eight men in connection with an assault at Worle railway station on Wednesday 29 October.

Three men, two aged 16 and one aged 17 were arrested by British Transport Police on Tuesday 11 November.

Three men aged 15, 16 and 17 were arrested on Thursday 13 November.

Two men aged 16 were arrested today, Monday 17 November.

All eight men are from the Worle area and have been bailed until February 25.

The victim in this case was Sam McMurran (59).

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release - see http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=2081&NewsAreaID=2

[Super Guard]

I hope that they catch the little f*ckers, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) have a few stations where the camera's don't work and it's about time they spent some money on them!

I believe CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) is on the list of upgrades.  Unfortunately the current financial conditions will no doubt not speed this up.

[John R]

POLICE ARREST EIGHT TEENAGERS IN CONNECTION WITH ASSAULT ^ WORLE

British Transport Police has arrested eight men in connection with an assault at Worle railway station on Wednesday 29 October.

Three men, two aged 16 and one aged 17 were arrested by British Transport Police on Tuesday 11 November.

Three men aged 15, 16 and 17 were arrested on Thursday 13 November.

Two men aged 16 were arrested today, Monday 17 November.

All eight men are from the Worle area and have been bailed until February 25.

The victim in this case was Sam McMurran (59).

From the BTP^▸ (British Transport Police) press release - see http://www.btp.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=2081&NewsAreaID=2

Excellent news.

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the Weston Mercury:

CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) switched off during attack

Thugs who beat a grandfather senseless may have got away with their horrific attack because CCTV cameras at the crime scene were switched off - their victim has said.

Sam McMurran was subjected to a brutal beating at Worle Parkway train station last year after asking a group of teenagers to stop their mindless vandalism.
 
This week the British Transport Police revealed it has been forced to drop the case due to lack of evidence but Mr McMurran says the First Great Western-operated CCTV cameras at the station were turned off at the time of his attack.

The 60-year-old of Christon near Axbridge was left with fractured cheek bone, broken nose, split lip and serious cuts to his face after the youths finished their vicious onslaught. The businessman was meeting his wife off a train from London and had seen the group causing damage to a ticket machine. He approached the youngsters, some of whom he believed could have been as young as 14, and asked them to stop, but instead they knocked him to the ground before continuously kicking him in the head.

This week Mr McMurran told the Weston & Somerset Mercury that he is trying to move on with his life, but that questions need to be raised over why the cameras were not in operation. He said: "I am trying to put the whole thing behind me now and get on with my life. But I do think questions need to be raised about the CCTV as that evidence may have helped the case. I have nothing but praise for the British Transport Police's investigation though."

A British Transport Police spokesman said this week that despite a lengthy investigation they did not have enough evidence to press ahead with a prosecution.

The Weston & Somerset Mercury asked First Great Western why the CCTV cameras were not switched on but after contacting the company several times for a response this week, nobody could comment.

[Phil]

Not such excellent news.

[JayMac]

Well, here's hoping that all the extra car park revenue will enable CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) camera to be kept on 24/7. However I suspect that there is very little altruism behind the car park price hikes. It is more likely the case that the increased charges are there to protect the revenue stream at First Group during the current recession, thus maintaining the shareholder dividend and keeping the company an attractive proposition for investors.

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

Axbridge is near mark and east brent isnt it?