Page 14 of The Scene of the Crime
‘Is that Victoria Park Road in Hackney?’
The caller pressed yes again.
‘I know it’s hard, but I need your house number . . .’
The caller started to speak, but his voice was rasping, making it difficult to hear the number.
‘I heard the numbers three and eighty, but I need the last number again,’ the handler requested.
The caller groaned as he tried to give the number, then cried, ‘No, please don’t . . .’
The handler and chief inspector could hear repeated thuds, like a fist beating against a chest, intermingled with the agonising screams of the caller, who was clearly being beaten or stabbed. Then the phone went dead.
The young handler was visibly distressed and slow to respond, so the chief inspector took over and put out an urgent response call on the radio. ‘All units Central East from Control . . . suspects on premises Victoria Park Road, Hackney. The exact address is currently unknown, but it is believed to be between 380 and 389. Approach with caution, as suspects maybe violent and armed. Victim unknown but male and may have life-threatening injuries. Ambulance also en route.’
Two vehicles initially responded, with one stating it was in Bethnal Green, approximately three minutes away, and the other about five minutes away. A police dog unit and an armed response vehicle said they would attend but were some distance away.
The chief inspector updated the officers travelling to the scene, informing them that the mobile cell mast identification showed the call coming from the Hackney Wick end of Victoria Park Road, which would suggest the victim lived in one of the expensive terraced houses opposite the park.
PC Sally Simpson, with full headlights on, was driving the closest vehicle, and said they would start house-to-house visits from 380 to 389. The chief inspector instructed the second vehicle to check the even numbers from three hundred and eighty upwards, which, from mapping data, didn’t overlook the park and were further up the road from Hackney Wick. The other two vehicles attending were to split up and assist the officers at the odd and even numbers on arrival.
‘I just hope they find him alive,’ the young call handler said, close to tears.
The chief inspector gave her a comforting smile. ‘Those are the sorts of calls we all dread, but you handled it well, so don’t let it get to you. You can finish duty early if you want. I can also arrange counselling if you need it.’
‘Thank you, sir, but I’ll be fine. I want to stay and know the outcome.’
‘OK, but take a few minutes off first. You did a good job and remained calm while dealing with the caller. Believe me, there was nothing more you could have done . . . but be prepared for the worst.’
* * *
PC Sally Simpson drove slowly up Victoria Park Road past the odd numbers. None of the premises had lights on. She reversed, parked outside number 385, and her colleague, PC Andy Reid, hurriedly opened his passenger door and started to get out. Sally grabbed his jacket. ‘Whoa, not so fast, newbie. You don’t go flying into these situations . . . the suspect might be armed and still be on the premises. Let control know we’ve arrived.’
‘Sorry.’ Since his initial training, he had only been on patrol for three weeks, and this was his first night shift. His heart raced as he nervously made the radio call, then looked to Sally for advice.
‘You start at 380. I’ll go to 389. If you see anything, don’t go charging in or shout. Call me on the radio quietly or wave if you can see me. Use your torch to check the ground and door for blood as you go.’
Reid, eyes wide open, nodded and got out of the car. As Sally approached 389, she flicked on her torch and proceeded up the three stone steps to the front door. She shone her torch on the doormat and noticed a tiny smear of what looked like blood and another small smear on the doorknob. She next opened the letter-box, shone her torch through it and could see what looked like a bloody footprint in the hallway. She called Reid on the radio.
‘Get the enforcer from the car boot asap,’ she whispered, referring to the portable battering ram.
Reid replied, ‘Received’, and on hearing their conversation, the control room chief inspector asked for an update. Sally told him what she’d found, and the chief inspector suggested they wait for backup before entering in case any suspects were still on the premises. Reid, who now had the red enforcer, looked to Sally for a decision.
She pressed her radio button. ‘I’ve got a taser. The victim may need urgent medical assistance, so we’ll proceed with caution, over . . .’
The chief inspector said he would direct the other attending officers and the ambulance to their location.
‘Turn your body camera on, put the door in, then get your truncheon out,’ Sally told Reid.
‘I’ve never used an enforcer,’ he said, feebly.
‘You’re much stronger than me. Aim halfway between the doorknob and the frame for maximum force, not at the doorknob itself.’
His hand trembled as he pressed his body cam on. He held the ram towards the door, took a deep breath, swung it back, then smashed it into the door with all his might. It didn’t open the first time, but he kept going, and on the third blow it did, revealing a long hallway with oak flooring and two sets of carpeted stairs at the far end, one going up and the other down. Reid put the ram down, withdrew his extendable baton and flicked it open.
‘You good to go?’ Sally asked calmly. He nodded and started to walk across the threshold. Sally stopped him and held up the taser. ‘It’s ladies first, you stay behind me. Keep to the left-hand side of the hallway to avoid stepping on any suspect footprints.’
She stepped into the hall. ‘This is the police,’ she called loudly. ‘I am armed with a taser. If there’s anyone in the house, walk slowly into the hallway with your hands raised.’ She cautiously walked a few feet into the house with her taser raised. They waited a few seconds before moving forward again. To their left was an open door to a large living room. Sally used her knuckle to knock the light switch on. They could see it had been ransacked, with drawers and their contents scattered over the floor.
