‘There has to be a safe place on Andover Estate to run away to’

Published: 1st July, 2011
by PAVAN AMARA

GRIEVING relatives, shaken friends, and worried residents packed Andover Community Centre last night (Thursday) in a hastily arranged meeting to discuss the murder of Andrew Jaipaul.

Andrew’s distraught mother sat in the front row as a panel including police, councillors and MP Jeremy Corbyn were told that attempts to improve the security on the estate had all failed. At one point a man who was stabbed 11 times in nearby Tollington Place just two weeks ago moved to the front to display his wounds.

Islington’s Police chief Mike Wise said Police Community Support Officers were scheduled to patrol the estate day and night. When a resident complained that they left the estate late evening, he said: “I will look into it.”

Residents said security guards had failed to appear when Andrew was being chased, and that a fence had only succeeded in preventing him from getting away.

Detective Inspector Andy Kelly confirmed that 40 police officers were “working around the clock” on the case.

He added: “We have CCTV footage of the youths, of which there could have been up to 25 as they approached the estate, before the event, and after the event.”

“That fencing is a death trap, it creates a barrier,” one woman said. “If these 25 guys were chasing Andrew, how the hell was he meant to get out and get away? He couldn’t leap over all those fences to get away. It’s like being in a prison. We call it ‘Holloway’ (in reference to the prison) as a joke. There should be a safe place where [if you are being chased] you can run into – a safe haven for you to get help.”

Mr Corbyn and Director of Operations for Homes For Islington (HFI) Doug Goldring agreed that the fencing needed to be urgently reviewed. Countless people also flagged up the issue of community safety teams, and CCTV cameras running out of tape or being placed in useless positions. 

A prayer vigil will be held on Sunday at 7.30pm at the spot where Andrew died, on the Andover Estate. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact the police incident room on 020 8345 1570. If you wish to remain anonymous phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

See Also:
• Another Islington mum in mourning
• Marchers commemorating Martin Dinnegan stage a walk for peace in week of three stabbings