Leigh Journal | News, sport, education, business, leisure, in the Leigh area

Ten arrests after grandfather attack

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Thursday 26th Apr 2001.

TEN people have been arrested after a grandfather was struck on the head with a house brick.

Geoffrey Swift is still in the intensive care unit of Burnley General Hospital more than two weeks after the attack outside the council flat where his daughter, her partner and baby lived.

Det Sgt Mick Collins today appealed for the people of the Edgeside estate, Waterfoot, to come forward and tell police what is going on in the area.

He said: "It would seem that this is a juvenile nuisance problem which has been on going in the Edgeside Estate area for some time and obviously householders on that estate would like to see it finish.

"Let's find out what has been going on, let's find the culprit and bring them before the appropriate authorities."

"We have arrested ten people, mostly teenagers from the estate, in relation to this matter and all have been released on police bail.

"We have been trying to establish everyone who was involved and now we are trying to find people from the estate, neighbours, and people who passed that area who can tell us about the incident.

"At present our inquiries are continuing."

Police are aware the family had been subject to juvenile nuisance problems for some time and on the night when Mr Swift was injured it is believed up to 20 people were in the vicinity of the upstairs flat in Crabtree Avenue where his daughter Ann-Louise Stanners and her partner Dale Radcliffe lived.

At first Mr Swift, 36, who lives with his wife Claire at Burnley Road East, Scout Bottom, was not thought to be too badly injured but later he started to become disorientated and his family took him to Burnley General Hospital.

DS Collins added: "We are asking for independent sources, for people who saw what happened and maybe haven't come forward yet. All information will be treated in the strictest confidence. They can ring 01706 237442 and ask for me."

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