Racist attack on dad and daughter sparks tram policing review
19 Mar 2013 11:36Bosses to hold talks after brutal assault on Prakash and Devyani Patel as they made their way home from United match Policing of the Metrolink is to be reviewed after a father and daughter suffered a brutal racist attack on a tram.
Police and transport chiefs say they will sit down and discuss policing on the trams following the attack.
United fans Prakash and Devyani Patel were on their way home from Old Trafford when they were subjected to vile taunts by two men, who then punched Mr Patel more than 18 times.
They have joined police in appealing for their 200 fellow carriage passengers to come forward as witnesses.
And Devyani, 21, is also calling for trams to be policed after football matches – which she believes could prevent future attacks.
GMP had a dedicated Metrolink unit responsible for policing incidents on the tram network from when it opened in 1992. But it was axed in 2008 when tram bosses withdrew the funding.
Devyani said: “In my opinion Greater Manchester Police, Metrolink and Manchester United should consider working together in combating yet further football violence on public transport.
“Metrolink could assist in deterring football violence by improving the design of trams. My father’s attackers could well have been identified had the positioning of the CCTV been better. With regards to the involvement of the GMP all it requires is two officers per tram and together the violence can be cut down. Perhaps if the tram my father and I were on was policed we wouldn’t be in the situation we are in today.
“That isn’t to say however, the police haven’t dealt with our case well. GMP have been excellent throughout the case and they have my utmost respect.”
Devyani thanked GMP and all those who had shown their support, adding: “The positivity is amazing and heart-warming and I cannot stress my appreciation enough.”
Currently, GMP and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) work together to prevent violence on match days. GMP officers cover the immediate area around football grounds and major stations in Greater Manchester, working with TfGM staff to manage the flow of fans to and from the grounds.
Metrolink also has 70 passenger service representatives, who check tickets and offer a ‘reassuring presence’ across the network.
A spokesman said: “While we’d support the idea of having police officers on trams after matches, it is entirely a matter for what GMP feel is an appropriate use of their resources.”
?Assistant Chief Constable Ian Wiggett said GMP shared the family’s abhorrance at the attack and was determined to find the attackers.
He added: “Greater Manchester Police has a responsibility to ensure effective policing across the whole city, and clearly we are not able to have officers stationed on every tram.
“However, we have a strong relationship with TfGM and are already in talks about potential ways we could improve the policing of our public transport.”
Peter Cushing, TfGM’s Metrolink director, said: “Our thoughts go out to Mr Patel and his daughter after their truly harrowing experience.
“Any criminal act, attempted or otherwise, on a Metrolink tram is for GMP to consider and investigate. We take the safety of our passengers very seriously and would of course look to support the police and their work in any way we can.”
