10Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Great turnout for community safety meeting

Great turnout for community safety meeting

Borough news
Grotton Pavilion welcomed a substantial – if suitably socially distanced – audience to a meeting with the local police team, Greenfield Community Safety organiser Lee Hudson, and Dobcross organiser Neal Killan. Local resident Alicia Marland, who set up the event and is coordinating the group, welcomed the positive response from the community, and thanked the contributors for their input. Alicia said: “Thanks to all the residents who attended tonight's community crime watch meeting in Grotton. What a fantastic turnout.  “It was a brilliant presentation from Lee who started the Greenfield scheme in 2017 who has successfully reduced crime through local initiatives and working closely with the police.” The idea of the community crime group is to have a simple, coordinated group which can alert local residents to potential issues in the area – whether that’s…
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04Jan 2022 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Christmas burglaries in your area going unsolved

Borough news, Saddleworth News
Figures reveal over eight in 10 Christmas burglaries in Greater Manchester go unsolved Most burglaries committed in Greater Manchester during the Christmas period go unsolved by the police, new analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed. 3,555 burglaries in the Greater Manchester area went unsolved by police in the period between October and December last year. Overall, 87.6% of burglary cases in the Greater Manchester area recorded between October and December over the past five years went unsolved. This compares to 84.6% burglaries going unsolved during the rest of the year. The figures also reveal there is usually a spike in burglaries over the Christmas period in the area. In the last five years, police recorded an average of 402 domestic burglaries per week in October, November and December. This…
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28Dec 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Five in six Christmas burglaries unsolved by police

Five in six Christmas burglaries unsolved by police

Parliamentary news
11% more burglaries of homes over the Christmas period than in the rest of the year.84% of Christmas burglaries go unsolved by the police.44,220 burglaries committed in October to December last year were closed without a suspect being identified. New analysis by the Liberal Democrats has revealed an 11% spike in burglaries over the Christmas period, five in six of which go unsolved by police. In the last five years, police recorded an average of 5,290 domestic burglaries per week in October, November and December, compared to 4,751 a week over the rest of the year. The Liberal Democrat analysis also shows that domestic burglaries committed over the festive period are more likely to go unsolved. 84% cases recorded in the last three months of the year are closed with…
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05Nov 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Crime stats: Fraud soars by 32% as new action demanded

Crime stats: Fraud soars by 32% as new action demanded

Parliamentary news
Responding to the new official crime figures, which show that there were 5 million fraud offences in the last year, a rise of 32%, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said: “The scourge of fraud and scams is spreading at an alarming rate, but the Government is still not giving it the focus it deserves. “Fraud is an appalling crime that particularly preys on vulnerable people. Far too many criminals are getting away with it, and far too many victims are being left without justice or redress. “We need real action to stop fraud from ruining people’s lives. That’s why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a properly-funded new Online Crime Agency to tackle it effectively, and for the Government to name and shame the banks who are…
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28Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government’s Crime Initiative: “Beggars belief” officers weren’t consulted

Government’s Crime Initiative: “Beggars belief” officers weren’t consulted

Parliamentary news
Responding to the news that senior police officers say they weren't consulted on the Government's new crime initiative, Liberal Democrat Home Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael MP said:"It beggars belief that the Government would show such contempt for the police and victim groups alike.  "Far too often they are taking people for granted.  "They would rather write their policies on the back of an envelope than consult those on the front line who already know that increased stop and search doesn’t reduce violent crime."
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27Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Government’s crime initiative flies in the face of evidence

Government’s crime initiative flies in the face of evidence

Parliamentary news
Responding to the Government's new crime initiative, Liberal Democrat Peer Brian Paddick said: "This is an outrageous move that flies in the face of the evidence. "Research shows ramping up stop and search doesn’t reduce violent crime. London, where random stop and search measures are already widely used, is set to be the worst year for teenage murders since 2008. "The restrictions on section 60 are there for good reason, not least because you’re 13 times more likely to be stopped and searched if you’re black, if the police are allowed to stop and search at random."
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13Jul 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Councillor welcomes police reaction on Alexandra Park

Councillor welcomes police reaction on Alexandra Park

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor Dave Murphy has welcomed the police reaction to his concerns over ongoing criminal behaviour in Alexandra Park, despite Labour disputing that there was a problem. The police have launched a dedicated response – Operation Fasica – with high visibility patrols in the area, and a dedicated resource in Alexandra Park. Councillor Murphy said: “I am glad that the police have stepped up and taken my concerns about criminal behaviour seriously, and not just issued a knee-jerk rebuttal. “Alexandra Park is a wonderful resource for our community, and I want to make sure that everyone in Oldham is able to use it safely, and without worrying about this kind of behaviour. “I want to thank the police teams for their commitment to making our parks safer, friendlier, and…
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16Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
Councillor fears a flagship Oldham park will end up off-limits

Councillor fears a flagship Oldham park will end up off-limits

Borough news
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Crompton Dave Murphy and Shadow Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods has written to the Deputy Chief Executive of Oldham Council demanding that action be taken to curb the issues happening in Alexandra Park. Councillor Murphy said: “I have raised issues at Alexandra Park at my regular Shadow Cabinet meetings on several occasions. The park features too much in reports for my liking with incidents reported on a regular basis by the Police and our own Council staff. Alexandra Park is our flagship park and a park to be proud of and I grow increasing concerned that it will become off-limits for families scared to use its facilities. Councillor Dave Murphy Cllr Murphy added: “I have recently seen a report with three disturbing incidents in additions to ones…
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16Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani
“Unacceptable” that Daniel Morgan report held back

“Unacceptable” that Daniel Morgan report held back

Parliamentary news
Following Baroness O'Loan's comments that the Home Secretary Priti Patel interfered with the publication date of the Daniel Morgan report, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Home Affairs Alistair Carmichael MP said: “It is totally unacceptable for the Home Secretary to have held up the publication of this crucial report for four weeks. “For no good reason, Priti Patel has extended the agonising wait for Daniel Morgan’s family and all those interested in uncovering the truth about his murder. “The Government must guarantee that in future any independent reports like this will be completely free of political interference and not suppressed or delayed by Government Ministers.”
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10Jun 2021 by Sam Al-Hamdani

Sykes appeals to Lord Chancellor over lenient magistrate court sentence

Borough news, CSE, domestic abuse and violence
Councillor Howard Sykes, MBE, Leader of the Real Opposition and the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, has written to the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Robert Buckland MP, seeking a change in the law after receiving a frustrating letter denying him a review of an unduly lenient sentence. On 15 March, councillor Sykes wrote to the Attorney General’s Office asking for a review of a case in which Shaw resident, Javid Miah, 23, had sexually assaulted a woman in a frightening attack in Oldham town centre, but Miah had inexplicably not received an immediate custodial sentence for his crime. Councillor Sykes said: “This case caused many of my constituents’ real disquiet. This offender lives in my hometown and yet he was set free to continue to…
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