Why did my attacker not face justice?

In March I was subjected to an unprovoked attack while walking home along Upper Bristol Road, early evening.

It was the first time I had been that far from home in the dark since before Covid restrictions and an illness that had left me housebound for some time.

Initially the police were great. I had taken refuge on a nearby bus, the driver waited and his colleague phoned the police for me and they told me they had found the man involved kicking out at shop doorways further along the road. (There were witnesses but none of them wanted to get involved and give statements).

I went through the usual process of being questioned by a very kind, helpful police officer and gave an impact statement, was told they would investigate and look through any CCTV there might be.

I went to look and found there was a camera on the building facing down on where the assault took place.

It was made clear that I would have to be willing to attend court if the case proceeded. I heard nothing for over a month when a new officer emailed me to say he had taken over the case.

Three months later I again emailed the new officer who told me he had been away and would call the suspect that Thursday to arrange an interview.

Then one day in September I surprisingly received an email to say they were not pursuing the case as the statutory six months period in which they could obtain a conviction had expired.

He had tried me on my landline and called me twice on my mobile. (I assumed they were spam as number unidentified and the original officer had given me her name and mobile number).

Very interesting that he made such a concerted effort to contact me on the day precisely 6 months after the assault to inform me they couldn’t do anything, but not so much keenness to contact me to tell me who he was (despite telling me on the day they had spoken to him) or that they had found CCTV which they could have found if it was available at the time.

I am not claiming to be a detective, but surely as they had identified the man at the scene, had told me they were bringing him in on a certain day for questioning how can they say he couldn’t be located?

I have always been a defender of the police and this letter is not meant to be a slight or complaint against individual officers who we know have dealt with some horrendous cases recently, but there are a number of concerns other questions that this case raises about the system and society.

On a personal basis I was told the extent of my injuries were not sufficient to pursue the case, but no one knows what it did to me personally.

I also know of a friend who a month or so later was very badly beaten by a group of men, was hospitalised for a long period, was unable to work or claim benefits and was at risk of losing a home, but no conviction was made in that case either!

Why did no one want to give a statement about what happened which might have helped the police with their investigations? I hope that when you need help from other people they don’t take the attitude you did.

How can a suspect not be contacted when it was already established that he was going to be telephoned? Difficult if you don’t know who they are.

What is in some ways the greatest concern is that out there somewhere is a man who obviously has a problem of some sort and if he does this again the outcome may be even worse for someone.

To end, unusually, on a positive note, my heartfelt thanks go out to the bus drivers who themselves have to put up with so much as they couldn’t have been more kind and helpful, and the patient passengers.

Name and address supplied