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Teens break victim's jaw in attempted Meadows robbery



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Published Date: 28 April 2008
By ALAN McEWEN
A WOMAN was attacked with a piece of wood in a robbery in the Meadows by two teenagers who struck again 30 minutes later.
The second assault left a man nursing a fractured jaw after he was struck in the face with the makeshift weapon.

The 20-year-old female victim was walking with a friend along Middle Meadow Walk at around 2am on Saturday when the pair, a youth aged 17-18 and a girl aged 16-17, approached them.

The teen assaulted her with the wood while the girl demanded her handbag, which was handed over.

Although the victim suffered minor injuries, she did not require hospital treatment.

About half an hour later, three men and a woman were making their way down the same pathway when the robbers appeared again.

Again the teenager was carrying a piece of wood and struck a 20-year-old man in the face. He then hit another 20-year-old man on the back and shoulder while his female companion demanded money.

The victims were able to run off before anything was stolen.

One of the male victims was taken to St John's Hospital in Livingston, having suffered a fractured jaw, while the other was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and later released after treatment for a shoulder injury.

In both cases the suspects are of similar description, and police are treating the incidents as being linked.

The male was described as white, 17 to 18 years-old, about 5ft 10in tall, with sandy brown hair, wearing a navy blue hooded top.

The girl was white, between 16 and 17 years old, 5ft 5in to 5ft 9in tall, thin build, with light-coloured hair pulled back in a ponytail, and wearing a grey tracksuit.

It is believed a large group of youths were in the Meadows area at the time, and may know who was responsible.

A police spokeswoman said: "Two members of the public have been left seriously injured in these violent and unprovoked attacks, and one woman has been robbed.

"We are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to get in touch.

"We are particularly keen to talk to the group of youths who were in the Meadows at the time, who may recognise the description of the suspects."

The incidents were the latest in a string of attacks carried out in the Meadows over recent years.

The total reported crime in the area of Middle Meadow Walk has shot up from 68 reported incidents in 2003-4 to 166 in 2006-7.

Gangs of youths have been blamed for the majority of assaults in the area.

The city council agreed last year to improve the lighting at various sections of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links, and to install CCTV on lampposts.

Anyone with any information on the assaults should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131-311 3131, or Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800-555 111.


The full article contains 500 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 28 April 2008 5:17 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: Youth crime
 
1

William of Liberton,

EDINBURGH 28/04/2008 13:56:25
So where were the bicycle police? 18 of them apparently, six per shift, but it looks like they are going home to bed at 23.00.
2

Paul Voltaire,

28/04/2008 13:57:27
I am tired of police spokesmen/women.
Some coppers on the ground would be preferable.
3

Ima Stoner,

HIGH street 28/04/2008 14:20:17
The description of the attackers sounds familiar - I think these people/neds have struck before. Well, I hope someone gies them a good kickin' see how they like it - after all, there is never any polis about is there?
4

Gorgie_Tony,

Edinburgh 28/04/2008 14:23:48
That's the feral youth of today. This is the youth who haven't been brought up on a good thrashing - and look how violent they have turned out to be. How come the police didn't flood the area after the first attack? - they would have caught these monsters red-handed - it makes you wonder why we pay a proportion of how council tax towards the police - because they are constantly failing to give the public any service - shame on them.
5

TheColourOfUpsideDown,

28/04/2008 14:30:13
People getting mugged on the meadows in the early hours of the morning. Hardly news is it? It's nothing to do with the 'youth of today' either - this has been happening in the meadows since the dawn of time.
6

A Clamper,

Edinburgh 28/04/2008 14:35:31
The city council agreed last year to improve the lighting at various sections of the Meadows and Bruntsfield Links, and to install CCTV on lampposts.

What this article doesn't say is that the cctv was never connected because "local residents" objected to them. Why? I don't recall anybody else being asked if it is ok to install cctv cameras anywhere else in Edinburgh. No doubt the objectors will be the first to complain if they are ever attacked.
7

ChunkECheese,

Jolly ole England 28/04/2008 15:36:57
What a joke. These hoodlums need to be dealt with firmly and swiftly.

JJ
www.Privacy-center.net
8

Ronster,

edinburgh 28/04/2008 16:05:37
"About half an hour later, three men and a woman were making their way down the same pathway when the robbers appeared again."
THREE MEN and a woman can't deal with a ned and his bird ????????
9

The Judge,

28/04/2008 16:22:18
This story doesn't ring true, after the first attack the place would have been swarming with police looking for the offenders so how could they attack more people?

Every single on duty officer turned out when the Chief Constables wife lost her purse and she isn't any more special than the rest of us. Surely we'd get the same level of service that she received if we were unlucky enough to be mugged by some neds. Wouldn't we?

I said a long time ago that The Meadows would only get special attention when they started selling houses at The Quatermile no doubt I'll be proved right again.
10

Ruxpin,

28/04/2008 16:24:12
Obviously, the muggers have confidence that the police will do nothing and therefore have no hesitation in returning to the scene of the 1st crime for a 2nd go (within half an hour). Instead of appealing for witnesses after the event, why not police the area properly, which is well known for "unprovoked attacks". Also, lets not brand all young people with the same brush. The vast majority are law abiding, and criminals come in all age brackets.
11

Axelfols,

Edinburgh 28/04/2008 17:22:43
Maybe its neds dressed up as trees? I wouldnae put it past the wee blighters!!
12

rozzerwatch2 ,

28/04/2008 17:26:11
#9 - There's a vein of truth in your post, something doesn't ring true.
#10 You're absolutely right. Of course, the police cannot be everywhere all of the time but the fear of the police being around, added to a weekend in the cells, with a proper punitive sentence to match might just deter some of these young people from committing crime. It's the almost total lack of police visibility, on the street, where it matters not meeting manufactured and irrelevant targets of some vague sociallly inclusive agenda.
13

Major General Puffin-Stuff,

28/04/2008 17:43:09
#5

Exactly - and given the nature of our modern day society, who in their right mind would be daft enough to walk through an extensive area of dimly lit parkland, with a dodgy reputation after dark, at 2am ??
14

S.E,

28/04/2008 18:08:10
Jings what I wouldn't give to get a poond every time Gorgie Tony has uttered the words "feral youth". Joking apart though, if the polis ever actually did catch the wee schemie bstards they would just play the troubled childhood card in court then get taken on a nice holiday to Barbados at the taxpayers expense. What the victims should have done is dialled 999 and told the polis that there was a vigilante mob of adults beating the holy crap out some youths; guaranteed the plod would have 20 cars dispatched before you can say "ASBO".
15

,

28/04/2008 18:50:34
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
16

Jimmy Mac,

san diego,cal. 28/04/2008 19:56:52
Lights,cameras,and the Birch!,there's your answer.
17

Franck,

28/04/2008 20:11:08
Gorgir tony,

you fail to give the public any peace, shame on you.
18

fmuldar,

New Jersey, USA 29/04/2008 04:21:23
What the Heck!! was this girl doing walking in a known "Muggers" haven at 2AM in the morning!!!
Even Central Park is closed too pedestrian traffic after a certain time at night--& there is a fully mained Police Pct there also 24/7---- As I have said many, many times!! why do not the police have Foot Patrols in all parks at night!!
both uniform & plains cloths.
19

Ima Stoner,

HIGH Street 29/04/2008 09:52:30
#18 - probably cos it is far nicer sitting in their nice little offices at St Leonard's
20

JFW,

New Town 29/04/2008 11:50:20
Unfortunately at 2am the Police are dealing with this level of violence all over the city centre. Even if the Police actually got called about the first one immediately it would've been priortised as an incident where it was over and no-one was in any danger so it would go down the queue after the numerous other incidents in the city where drunken neds were actively kicking the crap out of each other. We need a lot more Police and a hard line on the anti-social drunken behaviour that prevents them getting to grips with more serious crime.
21

C U Jimmy,

East Ayrshire 20/05/2008 15:32:32
As far as unruly groups of thugs go it shouldn't be too hard for the police to find something that they could spend the night in jail for, when I was about 15 years old a long, long time ago, I was fined for cycling on the pavement although I was only standing with my bike talking to some friends, is it the amount of paperwork that has to be done when someone is apprehended that puts the police off?

 

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