|
Shooting in
Blundellsands. Can you help the Police with the inquires?
MERSEYSIDE Police
Detectives are appealing for information on the whereabouts of a
blue Audi car after shots were fired in Crosby on Wednesday, 16 May
2012.
Officers are investigating the incident, which happened on
Abbotsford Road near to Blundellsands Railway Station, at around 8am
when a passenger in a navy blue Audi saloon car fired a gun at the
driver of a silver Range Rover. The 43 year old driver, the only
occupant in the Range Rover, was uninjured, but the car sustained
damage consistent with shotgun pellets.
The Audi then drove off at speed in the direction of Liverpool
followed by the Range Rover. The cars are believed to have travelled
along Kenilworth Road, Blundellsands Road East, College Road and on
to Oxford Road where there are currently roadworks. The Audi was
then lost by the Range Rover.
Detectives are appealing for anyone who saw either car travelling at
high speed along these roads to call Merseyside Police. Officers are
particularly keen to receive information about the Audi, which is
described as either an A4, A5 or A6 with Sefton Taxi Plates. It is
believed that this is a 'rogue taxi'.
Merseyside Police believe a minority of unlicensed taxi drivers are
knowingly involved in criminality while taking trade away from
law-abiding cabbies.
Detectives are appealing for information and help from the taxi
community and the legitimate users to identify rogue cabbies, in
particular this navy blue Audi.
There is an ongoing focused police operation led by the Matrix unit
into the criminal use of taxis and it will form part of the
continued robust crackdown on gun crime and drug-dealing linked to
criminal gangs.
Chief Superintendent Tony Doherty, the head of the Force's Matrix
unit, said:- "The majority of Merseyside's taxi drivers are
honest, hard-working, law-abiding people. They take pride in what
they do and maintain their cab to a safe standard and pay for it to
be licensed. I know they are continually frustrated when they see
illegal cabbies plying for their business, in areas that they
shouldn't be plying for trade and in unsafe cabs while not bothering
to pay the taxes and overheads of the legitimate drivers. My message
to the legitimate drivers is to help the police do something about
it; let us know about the rogue cabs, their illicit trade and the
companies who are assisting them to take your business. And my
message to those who drive around in taxis unfit for the roads or
are unlicensed and not insured is that you can expect to be stop
checked by police in the coming weeks and have your cars taken off
you."
Crime scene investigators have forensically examined Abbotsford Road
and the Range Rover. Officers are reviewing CCTV and conducting
house-to-house enquiries.
Officers are also keen to speak with anyone at Blundellsands Railway
Station between 7am and 8.30am today who may have seen people acting
suspiciously, or suspicious vehicles in the area.
Det Chf Supt Doherty added:- "This was an extremely reckless
incident showing complete disregard for people going about their
ordinary business in the middle of rush hour and during the school
run. The station was busy with commuters and we are appealing to
these people to contact us if they believe they have any information
that could help our investigation and put those responsible behind
bars. We also ask members of the community to contact us if they
noticed any cars either missing from their street this morning or
abandoned in their area. We have increased our patrols in Sefton to
reassure residents we are doing all we can to find the offenders and
bring them to justice. We have an ongoing operation aimed at those
prepared to use firearms on Merseyside's streets and we will act on
all information received from the public, including anonymous
information received via Crimestoppers to stop this scourge of gun
crime."
Detective Inspector Tom Keaton said:- "Our officers are in the area
to reassure residents that we are doing all that we can to find
those people responsible. We have an ongoing operation aimed at
those prepared to use firearms on Merseyside's streets and we
continue to act on all information received from the public,
including anonymous information received via Crimestoppers. This
happened at a very busy time and there will have been many people
out and about."
Anyone with information is asked to call the Matrix Team on:- 0151
777 5699, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555 111.
|
 |
'Sexting'
from peers more concerning than 'stranger danger' to young
people warns the NSPCC
A new in depth study launched by the NSPCC reveals the level
that 'sexting' has increased amongst teenagers, with
schoolgirls facing increasing pressure to provide sexually explicit
pictures of themselves. The qualitative study based on a focus
group of 35 young people shows that while they are increasingly
savvy at protecting themselves from so called 'stranger
danger' they are having to face a new problem of 'peer
to peer' approaches with boys constantly demanding sexual
images. While some girls are developing sophisticated
techniques to deal with this pressure, others are left struggling to
cope and feeling unsure of what to do. The research,
undertaken by the Institute of Education, King's College London and
the London School of Economics, sought the views of 13 to 15 year
olds at 2 London schools. Previous research has shown that more than
a third of under 18s have received an offensive or distressing
sexual image by text or email. Jon Brown, Head of the Sexual
Abuse Programme at the NSPCC, said:- "What's most striking
about this research is that many young people seem to accept all
this as just part of life. But it can be another layer of sexual
abuse and, although most children will not be aware, it is illegal.
Girls should never be forced to carry out sex acts and boys must
understand it's not acceptable to put them under such duress that
they have little choice but to agree. It's very concerning that
whilst young people seem to have a solid grasp of 'stranger danger'
they are often struggling to cope with problems from their own peer
group. This can't be treated as just one of those phases children go
through. And although some of it may sound familiar from previous
generations, the difference is that the consequences are now far
wider with images remaining forever and potentially being viewed by
mass audiences. They can also fall into the hands of adult abusers.
It must be dealt with properly with parents, teachers, industry and
other professionals working together to give victims the protection
they need."
The study reveals girls can be pestered relentlessly until they
finally agree to perform sexual acts which can be recorded on mobile
phones. These can then be broadcast to groups of young people
leaving the devastated victim to face ridicule and abuse.
Researchers found there were 'significant numbers' in
circulation with one boy alone claiming to have 30. In some
cases the girls even write a name in black marker pen on a part of
their body to show it's the 'property' of a certain
boy. In a bid to start tackling the problems raised by this work the
NSPCC is calling for all professionals to receive training in the
latest technology so they are better equipped to deal with sexting.
It also wants secondary schools and the communications industry to
give young people better protection through education which promotes
considerate, respectful relationships. And parents must talk to
their children about this issue and the potentially serious
ramifications of their actions.
1 girl who was interviewed for the NSPCC said she had agreed to
perform a sex act and was reduced to tears when she discovered it
was on a video being passed around. Another told how she feared
suffering the same experience would lead to mental problems:-
"I could go into depression because you are going to be known, you
are going to be talked about; seen in a different way."
Researchers found the young victims are often left to suffer
alone in a culture of silence for fear of being labelled
'snitches' or 'snakes' if they tell anyone.
But despite the constant barrage of messages from boys asking for
'beats' intercourse or 'heads' oral sex,
the teenagers say they cannot live without their mobile phones,
using them from the moment they wake until they go to sleep.
Lead researcher Jessica Ringrose from the Institute of Education,
said:- "Girls are being pressured by text and on Blackberry
messenger to send 'special photos' and perform sexual services for
boys from an early age. In some cases they are as young as eleven.
Even while we were interviewing them they were being bombarded with
these messages. Some of them found ingenious ways to fend off the
demands but still the pressures are immense and the younger girls in
particular wanted help. Although this is happening through new
mobile-internet technologies teens still face the same old situation
that boys who have sex are seen as 'players' and earn the respect of
their peers while girls who do the same are labelled easy. Some of
the boys have a disturbing approach to this. They have been
encouraged by a wider culture to see girls' bodies as property which
they can own. But even if boys don't have this view it's difficult
for them to directly challenge this for fear of being called 'gay.'
At its worst sexting can be an extreme form of cyber-bullying which
has to be tackled."
Rosalind Gill, from King's College London, said:- "We were
deeply upset by the levels of sexual abuse, physical harassment and
even violence some of the girls experienced on a regular basis.
Apart from the immediate acute distress this kind of behaviour can
cause we also have to consider the affect it might have in later
life. The girls are in an almost completely male oriented
environment with little opportunity to explore their own sexual
desires and this could have serious implications for their self -
esteem as young women."
The report, 'A Qualitative Study of Children,
Young People and Sexting,' was launched at a House of
Commons event chaired by MP Claire Perry. |
