Tag: Inspector Christian Forder

Words by Erdington Local editorial team

West Midlands Police have confirmed they have arrested two men over an attack by the Village Green in Erdington Town Centre last week.

The force further confirmed the men are “in custody” and will be facing questions on “suspicion of wounding”, which can carry maximum jail terms of between five years to life imprisonment – depending on the severity and intent of the assault.

On Wednesday 2 July, emergency services responded to a call regarding a violent altercation between individuals on the pedestrian area near Oikos Café and The Swan Pub, with police cordoning of a large section of the High Street whilst investigating.

Erdington Local was also at the scene and was by told by staff from local businesses in the area, who witnessed the incident, how one man took an empty bottle of Dragon Stout beer from a rubbish bin and used it to attack another man following a verbal altercation.

An Erdington Street Warden, who works with Erdington Business Improvement District (BID) to help support and secure the Town Centre, was also at the scene and administered first aid to one man – who was seen to have “a pool of blood” coming from his back.

To read Erdington Local’s initial article following the reported attack, click here.

After a week of investigating and enquiries, a spokesperson from West Midlands Police has now confirmed that arrests have been made and those responsible for any crime will be questioned and processed accordingly.

West Midlands Police told: “Operation Fearless officers have arrested two men after an assault on Erdington High Street, where a man was attacked with a glass bottle outside a pub on 2 July.

“He was taken to hospital with injuries that thankfully, were not life-changing.

“We’ve been carrying out a thorough investigation and this morning (9 July) officers from Operation Fearless arrested two men aged 35 and 58.

“They are both currently in custody being questioned on suspicion of wounding.”

They added: “Operation Fearless, which recently expanded to the Southside area of Birmingham, continues to support colleagues in Erdington and together they are committed to making it the safest possible area for people to live and work.

“Fearless and our dedicated Erdington High Street team will be continuing patrols around the area as we support #SaferStreetsSummer.

“If you have information about crime in the area, call us on 101.”

A spokesperson for the Erdington BID, which is supported by local retailers and businesses, told: “There are legitimate concerns from local businesses that the space by the Village Green is in danger of becoming a hotspot for crime and anti-social behaviour.”

“Over recent weeks, there has been a rise of incidents and reports made over issues around the Village Green area, after Operation Fearless has driven certain activities and individuals out of the centre of the High Street.”

They added: “Erdington BID is in constant talks with the local police teams and wider units, as well as the Operation Fearless team and other partners, to increase police presence and enforcement in the area.

“We welcome the extra efforts being made and the increasing partnership work between uniformed officers on patrol in the Town Centre and our own Steet Wardens – alongside our incredibly resilient retailers.

“There has been a very positive change made on Erdington High Street after Operation Fearless and everyone, including the police, are 100% committed to moving forward and not backwards.”

For more on the local police in the Erdington visit www.westmidlands.police.uk/area/your-area/west-midlands/birmingham/erdington

Words by Erdington Local editorial team

An “incident” on the pedestrianised area by the Village Green left part of Erdington High Street cordoned off by police on Wednesday 2 July.

Blue and white police tape stopped shoppers from walking through the crime scene at around 1:30pm yesterday, as emergency services responded to a 999 call from a local business – following reports of two men fighting in the street.

Blood and broken glass could be seen in the centre of the High Street, with several local people reporting a man had been “stabbed” with a broken bottle.

Police tape was finally removed from the area and members of the public were allowed back onto the concourse at around 3pm.

A spokesperson from West Midlands Police told: “We were called to Erdington High Street at around 1.30pm yesterday (2 July) following reports a man had been assaulted.

“It’s believed he was attacked with a glass bottle… and he was taken to hospital with injuries thankfully not believed to be life-changing.”

They added: “A full investigation has started with officers reviewing CCTV and speaking to witnesses.

“Anyone with information should contact us on 101 quoting crime reference 20/295081/25.”

A spokesperson from West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed: “We were called to an incident on High Street in Erdington at 1.30pm and sent an ambulance and paramedic officer to the scene.

“On arrival, crews found a man who they treated for serious, but not life-threatening injuries, before conveying him to hospital.”

West Midlands Police were also quick to attend the scene, with people in the area saying the response teams arrived “in a few minutes” and began gathering local intelligence.

Erdington Local was also at the scene and was told the incident had been filmed by members of the public and it was hopped the man responsible for the attack could be clearly identified.

It was also reported that the Erdington Street Warden on duty at the time was one of the first at the scene and was quick to administer first aid the victim – who was seen to have “a pool of blood” coming out from underneath his clothes on his back.

Staff from local businesses in the area, who witnessed the reported assault, told Erdington Local how after a verbal altercation between two men, one man took an empty bottle of Dragon Stout from a rubbish bin and used it to attack the other man.

Erdington Local could see broken parts of a Dragons Stout bottle – a high percentage beer that is mainly sold in off-licences and not in any of the neighbouring licenced premises – on the ground next to a small pool of what looked like drying blood.

People in the area further informed our reporter that before the fight they had seen the attacker sitting on a small wall in between the Borch Electrical store and The Swan pub – where the rubbish bin is located.

Neither businesses have been implicated in the incident by any emergency service.

The bin had been put there by local volunteers to help tackle the rising rubbish, including empty bottles and fast-food packaging, around the growing hotspot for street drinking and visible drug taking.

Several local residents and businesses vocalised to Erdington Local they believe the area is becoming troublesome in part after anti-social behaviour has been displaced from other areas of the Town Centre by the recent police initiative, Operation Fearless.

The sunny weather is also cited as a potentially exacerbating factor, although people are known to gather in the area during all conditions.

A spokesperson for the Erdington Business Improvement District (BID), which is supported by local retailers and pays for the Street Wardens, confirmed the area has been highlighted to local law enforcement who took the situation “very seriously” and had promised to address concerns over criminality there.

Only a few days previously, on Tuesday 24 June, police had responded to reports of another “disorder” in the area, where officers confirmed they “arrested two men aged 32 and 39, and recovered two knives” – adding that “thankfully, no-one was seriously injured.”

The High Street around the Village Green falls inside the ‘restricted zone’ of the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), that covers Erdington Town Centre and some of the surrounding streets.

A PSPO is a widely used law enforcement tool, which gives local police more powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and to remove repeat offenders from the designated area.

Erdington Local has asked West Midlands for any updates or developments surrounding the incident on Wednesday 2 July.

For more on the local police in the Erdington visit www.westmidlands.police.uk/area/your-area/west-midlands/birmingham/erdington