Earlier this week, a watchdog report revealed another series of grotesque failures by beleaguered Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary found that, in just one year, the force had failed to record 80,000 crimes in the year ending June, 2020 (an average of 220 per day). Thousands of others cases were also without proper investigation (read more here).
This is just one of them. Leaving three dangerous criminals, who had, apparently, also offended shortly prior to the events so graphically described here.
The response to this letter issued today by Gail Hadfield Grainger, and copied to a wide number of senior police officers, policing stakeholders and elected representatives, including the Home Secretary, will be a good indicator as to whether the “robust measures” allegedly now put in place, by GMP, to prevent such calamities are, in fact, effective:
“To the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police,
“My name is Gail Hadfield Grainger, my contact details are stated at the top of this letter.
“The principal purposes of this letter are (i) to complain about the way that the incident described below was handled by your police officers and (ii) to insist that a proportionate criminal investigation be instigated by experienced detectives, at least one of whom needs to be of managerial rank.
“This complaint is NOT suitable for local resolution. I will not be fobbed off. The matter requires rigorous investigation and those responsible properly held to account. That includes the supervisors, managers, commanders and chiefs who are responsible for the culture in which constables and civilian staff can treat victims of crime in this appalling manner.
“The Crime reference number for this incident is: CRI/06FF/0007643/20
“The particulars are as follows:
“In the evening of the 9th April 2020, two men attended my house to buy a mobile phone that I had been using for the previous year and was registered with my mobile phone network provider. I had advertised this phone for £440 on Gumtree.
“When they arrived, I answered the door and asked if they were here to look at the mobile phone. They stated that they were. I said “wait there, I will go get it”.
“As I turned around to go and get the phone, they unexpectedly followed me in – this made me feel extremely uncomfortable as I did NOT invite them in at any time.
“I did not express or imply permission for them to enter.
“I was at home with my two children, fortunately my partner was at my home address too.
“The two men were Irish, with a strong Irish accent. They made small talk in my home, whilst one of the men stated that he was to “get the money from the car”.
“He left the house.
“The remaining Irish man had the mobile phone and box etc in his hand, he asked me if the phone needed ‘wiping’ – I explained it was ready for sale and my details were ‘wiped’ from the phone.
“This man slowly edged to my front door saying that he was wondering what was taking his friend so long to get the money.
“It was at this point, he edged towards my front door, grabbed my handbag and ran to the silver/green colour Renault Megane, with dents visible on the bodywork and an Irish number plate.
“My handbag contained my purse, cards and cash. My ring and watch was also in my purse. In the bag was also my make-up bag and my pencil case, Dictaphone and much more. My main worry at that time was whether I had left my spare key in my purse, also, and that the men would return to the house when I was sleeping in the house alone with my two children.
“This fear lasted many days until I could get extra security on my house including cameras.
“It was then that I chased the man to his car, screaming as I did so. The car had the door open and engine running ready for a quick getaway. They clearly pre-planned this robbery.
“My partner got in his car and drove in the same direction, he spotted the car approaching Kearsley roundabout, at the Farnworth entrance to the roundabout.
“My partner followed them round Kearsley roundabout, down the slip road that takes you to to the M61 briefly, before joining the M60 and off at Junction 17 at Whitefield/Prestwich.
“Whilst approaching the slip road at 50mph (the Irish men in the Renault Megane were travelling much faster as the temporary speed camera flashed) they purposely tried to ‘slam’ the side of their motor vehicle intentionally in a reckless manner into my partner’s car, almost causing him to have a serious crash as he tried his best to avoid the attack in the motor vehicles – I would class this as attempted murder.
“Their intention were clear, they committed another criminal act in order to evade being apprehended.
“My partner decided that a handbag and phone are not worth losing his life over and returned back to my home.
“When he returned home, he was shaken and extremely distressed at the events, as was I, knowing that these men had been in my home, brazenly, without any consideration of the distress that it caused myself and my family.
“It was at this point I rang the police, told them what had happened and described as much as I could. I was shaken, scared and expected the police to take action. Especially as I provided enough detail to the officer on the phone to warrant an arrest and a charge – given the circumstances.
“I provided the IMEI number of the phone I sold to enable the police to track the phone should the two Irish men turn it on.I gave a description of the two men, the two phone numbers that they used (which could have easily been located through cell site analysis). I gave the route they took, the speed camera that flashed (which would have revealed the VRN) and, as I found out by placing a post on Facebook (warning people in my local community to be vigilant as there were two criminals about), these same two males had already robbed someone and damaged a car when they stole the door mirrors from it.
“Given my past experience with the police, I am extremely hesitant to call them over anything. But, due to the seriousness of the crimes committed against me, I felt I had no other option than to phone the police and believe that they would investigate. As you can see from this letter, that was not done. I was left feeling scared, anxious and distressed, but expected officers to call and take a statement from me at the very least. I have previously experienced serious systemic and operational failings from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and I have been expressly informed by the senior officers at GMP that these systemic and operational failings had been address and rectified. That is clearly not the case.
“I believe there is one of two reasons why this crime was not investigated: Malfeasance, due to who I am and my relationship with GMP or serious incompetence that pervades the whole of Greater Manchester Police.
“Given the recent news articles coming to light such as this one: – it shows that it is not just me, but approximately 220 cases per day have not been investigated properly over the last year.
“I am distressed at the thought of the perpetrators still being at large and that they have got away with so serious a crime, despite of all the detailed information that I gave. The actions of GMP (or rather lack of them) have caused significant loss and damage and may well give rise to a civil claim against the chief constable. I am taking appropriate advice on this issue.
“Since this burglary (whilst I was at home), my insurance company have attempted to contact the police for further information of the events, providing the crime reference number, but have told me that there is a lack of information available. So, I rang the police and asked for an update of what is happening in regards to the investigation – here is a synopsis of the call made on the 3rd of December 202 at 17.08hrs:Hannah PC 72436….. informed me that the case was indeed opened on the 9th of April 2020 and closed on the 10th of Aril 2020 and no investigation took place.
“The offence was listed as ‘theft’ only.
“There were no further lines of inquiry – which is peculiar as I didn’t call till the late hours of the 9th April 2020.
“The case was reopened briefly on the 10th of June 2020 and closed that same day. I believe that this is when I called for an update and to see when someone would be calling to take a witness statement from me and witnesses – which would lead to the establishment of the facts of the case, in turn leading to the identification of the criminals – even though I provided ample enough information on the night for a prompt and effective investigation to take place.
“I was told that NO investigating officer put their name to the case as NO investigation was started.
“If I was to find out anything more about the steps taken (or lack of) Then I would need to contact the records management unit on 0161 856 2529.
“There were NO steps to investigate taken
“GMP have failed their duty in many ways – for a crime of this class the public are entitled to expect nothing less than an independent, prompt and IMPARTIAL investigation. Unfortunately, due to the INCOMPETENCE of Greater Manchester Police NOTHING at all was done in relation to the crime that was committed, including the attempt by dangerous criminals to cause very serious harm to my partner, at the very least. The police failed to record the relevant details of the case.
“They failed to act on the information given
“They failed to interview any key witnesses promptly OR at all
“The police failed to collect ANY evidence that may have led to the identification of those responsible and punishment accordingly.
“Furthermore: This ill treatment by GMP has caused psychological distress to myself and my children.
“I am in fear that if I ever need the police in an urgent matter (as I did previously) not only will they NOT attend promptly – but the police will breach their investigatory duty to act.
“I believe GMP had an operational duty to investigate and this duty was breached
“Next time it could well be a murder, instead of an aggravated burglary or attempted murder/manslaughter (which your officers appear to have mis-recorded as a theft to minimise the need to investigate, raising a different range of performance issues).
“This matter now needs to be handled expeditiously and I expect to hear from a senior officer, of at least superintending rank, within the next 7 days, to discuss the best way forward from this horrific ordeal with a view to formulating an action plan that will lead to the apprehending of these dangerous criminals.
“I have copied in all the stakeholders whom I consider need to be aware of these grotesque failings of GMP.
Yours sincerely
Gail Hadfield Grainger”
As set out in the letter, the sender is well known to GMP. Her partner, Anthony Grainger, was shot by them in 2012. At the resultant public inquiry, the force was very heavily criticised over a long list of failings and the outfall from that still rumbles on (read here).
Was that a factor in the appalling treatment of Gail over this shocking experience at her home? We will see, once the layers of incompetence are pulled back and a proper investigation has taken place.
The signs are not promising, however. 24 hours after sending the letter not one GMP officer had been in touch with her, either by phone or email.
Another man, with now a great deal, to lose has also not spoken to Gail, or contacted her in any other way. Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, has let her down very badly over the outcome of the Grainger Inquiry, after making false promises on network television (read more here). Accordingly, her hopes are not at all high that he will hold the chief constable to account over this latest issue.
Gail, measured and articulate as always, can be watched talking about her horrendous experience in a short video clip here.
This is a developing news story and will be updated. Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.
Page last updated: Sunday 12th December, 2020 at 1045 hours
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Picture credit: ITV Granada
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