Met Police face complaint after brutal Ilford robbery

The man, in his 60s, suffered broken ribs, facial injuries and “lacerations” to his back and sides during the brutal assault, according to a friend who walked in on the incident.

Aaron Lawler has filed a formal complaint against the Metropolitan Police after they allegedly told him they were only treating his friend’s attack as an ABH (actual bodily harm) offence.

Officers have not taken a statement from Aaron, who called police after stumbling upon the bloody crime scene, where he found a suspicious man looming over his badly injured friend.

While the victim’s condition was not assessed as life-threatening at the scene, Aaron said the injuries were worse than had been immediately apparent.

“He almost died,” he said.

“A week after he was admitted to hospital, a crash team had to revive him. In my opinion, this is not even GBH (grievous bodily harm). It’s more like attempted murder.”

The man was attacked inside his home in Pelham Road, Ilford (Image: Google Streetview)

Intruder

On Monday, May 29, Aaron travelled from Chigwell to Ilford to check on his friend, who was not answering his phone.

When he reached Pelham Road, his friend’s door was open.

“There was blood all over the floor, and broken glass and plates,” said Aaron.

He found his friend laying on his bed, bloodied and beaten, with a man standing over him.

“The guy had see-through, rubber gloves on,” said Aaron. “I asked who he was. He said he was trying to help.”

As the gloved man began to leave, two other men ran into the property and met him. The trio left together.

“If I didn’t get there when I did, I think he might be dead now,” said Aaron.

“He was properly messed up. He could barely speak. I said 'who did this to you?' He said three men had attacked him.”

The victim’s mobile phone, house keys and bank cards were missing.

Aaron Lawler said the treatment his friend's case was receiving reminded him of 'a third world country' (Image: Aaron Lawler)

Police Complaints

Police told this newspaper that after Aaron called, they “searched the area” for the culprits but “they could not be found”.

Aaron strongly disputed that.

He said that while stood with an officer outside the crime scene, he spotted and pointed out one of the men he had encountered inside.

But, he said, the officer simply asked the man his name and then let him go.

In the following days, he alleged, police left his friend’s home unsecured.

“The perpetrators had his keys,” he said. “I had to go there and man the place.”

A week after the attack, Aaron continued, he asked police whether anyone had been arrested.

“They said, ‘It’s only an ABH’,” he claimed.

When he queried that, listing his friend’s serious injuries, police allegedly claimed not to know about them.

The victim has been hospitalised at Queen's, in Romford, ever since the brutal attack in late May (Image: Chantelle Billson)

“They hadn’t contacted the hospital for an update,” he said.

“Then they said next time I was at the hospital, could I get them to call the police and give them an update. Why are they depending on me? This is their job!”

When this newspaper contacted the Met for a statement, it referred only to the victim sustaining “facial injuries”.

Anger

After Aaron raised concerns, he said, officers did twice visit his friend in the hospital, but did so while he was still “confused and heavily medicated and could barely speak”.

They also went without an interpreter, despite the victim not having English as a first language.

Unable to take a statement, Aaron claimed, police said they would pause the case and pursue it if the victim contacted them.

“This is like something you would expect in a third-world country,” he said.

“This is a totally peaceful, vulnerable man and they are treating him like he is nothing. From the very beginning, they couldn’t be bothered.

“They are acting as if someone nicked a handbag or something. They guy almost died. They are doing nothing. It’s just not right.”

The Met said it “does not discriminate against any victim of crime for any reason and will always work to achieve justice for victims.

“A number of enquiries, including door to door and CCTV, have been conducted and the investigation continues. There have been no arrests at this stage.

“Police have received a third-party complaint, which will be assessed by the local professional standards unit.”