GMP inaction following anti-social behaviour at Heywood church

Father Paul Daly

Greater Manchester Police's Week of Action in Heywood turned out to be inaction on Sunday 7 March. A gang of six youths, some High School age and others older, went into St. Joseph's RC Church just before the Sunday evening Mass.

At the time there were about 70-80 people in church waiting for Mass to begin. Some of the youths began to create a nuisance straight away. The parish priest, Father Paul Daly, invited the youths to stay, if they were willing to behave but one of them proceeded to run up and down onto the sanctuary and scream into the microphone.

"It was very intimidating beginning Mass with the gang of them sitting in front of me and misbehaving quite openly. I felt threatened and unnerved so much so that I left the service to wait for the police to attend and remove the youths." Father Daly said.

The police responded speedily and dispatched a sergeant and a police constable. However, Father Daly professed himself to be 'amazed and angry' at what happened next. While the police escorted the youths out of church and Father Daly went back to resume his place at the altar, the police sergeant did not bother to take their names and addresses, as they have the authority to do.

Police are supposed to take the names and addresses of youths causing anti-social behaviour, using a 'Stop and Account' form, so that, when necessary, issues can be followed up via other agencies.

Father Daly said: "The sergeant's reluctance to use his powers to address this incident staggered me. It really is no wonder that GMP has been criticised by HM's Inspector of Constabulary for its attitude to anti-social behaviour.

"We receive full support from Inspector Butterworth and his Heywood team but when other officers, sometimes from Middleton and Rochdale, have to attend we are let down very badly.

"Anti-social behaviour has, off and on, plagued St. Joseph's for several years. It has, in its most serious forms, taken the form of vandalism, verbal abuse, graffiti; the local police try very hard to deal with it and do have quite a lot of success.

"However, when basic mistakes like this happen, it makes me wonder whether GMP, and Rochdale Division in particular, really do take anti-social behaviour seriously or whether they just say they do.

"I am expecting an apology from the Divisional Commander but even more importantly I hope that he will ensure that his response officers treat anti-social behaviour, and in particular disrespect towards places of worship, with the seriousness the public deserve."