Published: Thursday, 4th October, 2007 09:00
Court safety alert
Print Article
SECURITY at Haddington Sheriff Court is being stepped up in the wake of an alleged stabbing inside the building, amid fears that Scotland’s knife culture is on the increase in East Lothian.
And North Berwick residents are demanding action to make the award-winning coastal resort safer after a month of violence and mayhem.
From Monday, metal detecting machines and bag searches will be augmented by a visible police and security presence at the county’s judicial hub.
The two-week crackdown follows an incident at the court building last month when a 47-year-old man was severely injured.
Gerrard Cameron, 26, from Prestonpans, later appeared in private, charged with assault to severe injury and danger to life.
He made no plea or declaration and was remanded in custody.
Announcing the new security measures, Inspector Sean Scott, the new head of community policing for Haddington, North Berwick and Dunbar, said: “The objective is to curb the unlawful possession of knives and also to detect persons who may be carrying illegal drugs.
“Police officers will provide a high visibility presence and will require persons attending the court, both accused persons and witnesses to turn out their pockets and they will also be subjected to a ‘sweep’ with a metal detector.”
Insp Scott added: “The court staff and members of the public should be assured that whilst the assault on September 3 was an isolated incident, this operation will make sure that the courthouse remains a safe environment”.
The Scottish Court Service, which provides internal security at court buildings, is to meet with Insp Scott to discuss long-term security arrangements in Haddington.
A Crown Office spokesman said: “We welcome any new measures that will help ensure the safety of our staff while they go about their duties.”
County MSP Iain Gray expressed concern over the alleged court stabbing.
He said: “People need to feel secure in our courts.
“It is sad to learn of these measures, but I feel they have have to be taken.”
Meanwhile, rising levels of violent crime, vandalism and teenage drunkeness in North Berwick have resulted in local residents calling for an emergency meeting with police and council bosses.
A man was allegedly struck in the head with an axe on High Street on September 8, while on Gilbert Avenue, a 33-year-old man was beaten and robbed of an undisclosed sum of money by a balaclava-clad gang armed with a baton.
Nineteen-year-old Semir Medaci later appeared in private at Haddington Sheriff Court in connection with the former incident.
He was remanded in custody after making no plea or declaration and has since been fully committed for trial.
Police have yet to make an arrest in connection with the Gilbert Avenue incident, which took place between 3.20pm and 3.25pm on September 5.
The suspects were all said to be in their late 30s and wearing balaclava-type masks. One also wore a baseball cap and scarf, a second of slim build wore a hooded top, while the third wore a cream-coloured sweatshirt and was described as broad-built.
The victim was treated in hospital for head and leg injuries and was later released.
The two incidents top a list of 16 recorded crimes in the town during September. The crime count also includes two persons reported to be in possession of offensive weapons, one of whom was a youth allegedly carrying an iron bar in the Lodge Grounds.
Three acts vandalism included a wilful fire-raising in Ibis Place, where a garden fence was scorched.
The crime situation led to a group of concerned residents gate-crashing Tuesday night’s meeting of the local community council, where East Lothian Council leader David Berry was also present.
The group of nine young mothers claimed to represent residents in Craigleith Avenue, Eastfield Road and Lochbridge Avenue.
Their spokeswoman, who declined to be named for fear of reprisals, said: “It is no longer safe to go out at night in North Berwick. We have had enough of being threatened and intimidated, of having our property damaged.
“There are groups of up to 20 teenagers roaming the town as late as 1am, many of whom are intoxicated. They are challenging people to fight when the pubs empty. There is no respect, no fear.
“I have lived in North Berwick for nine years. I came here from Glasgow and saw it as a dream place to stay.
“Now we are speaking about leaving, that is how bad things have become.”
Councillor Berry said he shared residents’ concerns.
“A couple of weeks ago I was in one of my surgeries when I was told there were vandals in the Lodge Grounds,” he said.
“ It was a Saturday morning and I went up there to discover three or four fairly drunk teenagers on the pavilion roof. They weren’t vandalising it, but this sort of thing can only damage the town’s image.”
Community policeman, PC Allan Walker, welcomed the protestors’ decision to take a stand, and said he would arrange a meeting with residents and council officials to discuss the issue as a matter of urgency.
“There were not a lot of crimes recorded in North Berwick last month, but there were two serious crimes, which does make alarm bells ring,” he added.
Commenting on the situation in North Berwick, county MSP Iain Gray said: “Obviously I would be concerned if there is evidence pointing towards an upsurge in street crime and disorder in North Berwick, or anywhere else in the county.
“But while individual incidents are obviously troubling for the victims, we do need to keep things in perspective.
“We should not be complacent, but we need to recognise that East Lothian has a lower crime rate than many parts of the country — figures released this month show that the county’s crime rate is a third lower than the Scottish average.
“We need to work hard to keep it that way.”
The new SNP/LibDem council has announced plans to install CCTV in all six of the county’s major towns, including North Berwick.
Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Reddit
Stumbleupon
Honoured by Her Majesty