Those locals who remember the police crime scene cordon last year will be delighted that detective work has paid off and the perpetrator will now face a nine year jail sentence and be registered as a sex offender for life.
The incident happened in the early morning and part of me wants to scream that a 17-year-old should not have been walking home alone in the early hours. However our little corner of Smethwick is about as safe as Smethwick gets and if someone can be attacked here they can be attacked anywhere.
One of the difficulties is that we often hear shouts and screams from the woods but on investigation have found them to be young people larking around. I know, because a couple of times I've gone and investigated.
On this morning we heard nothing. We were all fast asleep and could offer no help to the police when they conducted their house to house inquiries. Our prayers must be with the victim, only now do we know the full extent of the attack, and also with the perpetrator who clearly must repent and accept his well deserved punishment.
Our congratulations must go to the unnamed police officer who had previously encountered the perpetrator and made a note of his name. It looks like a good bit of instinctive community policing. Let us hope he is not one of those officers in Sandwell facing redundancy.
The incident happened in the early morning and part of me wants to scream that a 17-year-old should not have been walking home alone in the early hours. However our little corner of Smethwick is about as safe as Smethwick gets and if someone can be attacked here they can be attacked anywhere.
One of the difficulties is that we often hear shouts and screams from the woods but on investigation have found them to be young people larking around. I know, because a couple of times I've gone and investigated.
On this morning we heard nothing. We were all fast asleep and could offer no help to the police when they conducted their house to house inquiries. Our prayers must be with the victim, only now do we know the full extent of the attack, and also with the perpetrator who clearly must repent and accept his well deserved punishment.
Our congratulations must go to the unnamed police officer who had previously encountered the perpetrator and made a note of his name. It looks like a good bit of instinctive community policing. Let us hope he is not one of those officers in Sandwell facing redundancy.
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