I HAVE to take issue with the near hysterical letter you published (January 16) following an assault on a 65 year old lady in Hatherleigh.
Please allow me to make some pertinent points:-
The assault did not involve a stranger ? the victim named a man who has been arrested. The arrested man is in his 60s.
We did not release these details as we were seeking witnesses and did not wish to influence their evidence. Witnesses did come forward and have provided significant evidence.
Now for some interesting facts:-
The whole Hatherleigh ward only reports around six crimes per month. In the past two years there have only been two assaults that could be called
assaults by strangers. Both involved young men and alcohol on a Friday or Saturday night. One victim chose not to make a complaint. The other did make a complaint and a man has been arrested.
No wonder the author of the letter did not want their name published ? inaccurate letters only serve to alarm people unnecessarily.
The value of appealing for witnesses was proved in this case, so we should all thank the local people who came forward.
I do not know that I would agree that the law is a ?toothless old bulldog?, but the author of that nonsense was barking up the wrong tree.
M C Brooks
Chief Inspector
Okehampton Police