AN irate father has slammed Hammersmith police for failing to act after his 10-year-old son was physically threatened by a man in the street.
Stuart Budd, 47, was upset when his son Warwick rushed back to their home in Ravenscourt Gardens in a distressed state having been chased and attacked by a drunk man.
Mr Budd quickly took to the streets to find the nearest policeman and report the incident. But two officers, who he found separately, both said they could not deal with it and he should call the non-emergency police number, 101.
Now, almost two months since the incident Mr Budd says he has been left disillusioned with his local police, while the drunken man has not been caught and no reassurance has been given to his son.
Mr Budd, said: "As soon as I got home I went out looking for a policeman in the street. I was astounded when he told me to ring 101. I couldn't believe it. If a 10-year-old boy is assaulted in the street I would have expected the police to have been straight out there.
"At that time, the police on the ground should have been doing everything. They should have been reassuring my son, not telling me to phone 101. Now weeks and weeks afterwards nothing has happened, and worst of all my son has lost confidence in the police."
Warwick had been cycling home from the Sulgrave Youth Club in Shepherd's Bush when he noticed someone was following him.
The suspect, a white man in his early 30s with an Irish accent, started kicking him before giving chase and shouting obscene comments.
The Met Police claim that a report of the incident was delayed because the first officers Mr Budd encountered were from the British Transport Police. They have acknowledged that action should have been taken sooner.
A police spokesman said: "I appreciate the distress caused to the victim and his family and I confirm that this incident is still being investigated. I will ensure that the details are passed again to the local safer neighbourhood team to trace this male if he is seen again. The needs of the victims must be paramount in our investigations."
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