Police cut off 999 call

by Andrew Green

Early one Sunday morning, walking home from work, a local man witnessed at close quarters a savage attack on a woman. 

The woman struggled free and ran off, leaving her coat in the hands of her attacker - a man who had driven up in a large 4x4 car. The witness, Julian, immediately dialled 999 from a nearby phone box, and told the police what he’d seen. He described the car and driver, who was still touring the area, and was about to give the car number, when the police operator asked him his name. Julian was on his way to his girlfriend’s house, and he didn’t think she would want to be woken up by the police at 6 am., so he refused to give his name and address (at other times he has reported incidents and did then provide name and address). To his amazement, the police operator put the phone down on him. 

Julian told us he was shocked and disgusted. The incident was not yet over, and it happened just a few weeks after the horrific murder on bonfire night of Michaela Hague, a young woman working as a prostitute locally. Michaela was stabbed to death at Spital Fields, less than half a mile from Pitsmoor Road, where the assault witnessed by Julian took place. The police have still not arrested anyone for the murder of Michaela. If the 999 call had continued, Julian would have told the police that the woman he saw being attacked also works as a prostitute. He knew this because he sometimes chats to her on his way home from work. 

The assault and the unsolved murder could be related. So Julian expected to see an immediate police presence in the area. But nothing happened, except the man in the 4x4 continued to drive round the area, searching for the woman he’d attacked. Clearly he didn’t expect to encounter any officers who might enforce the law.