UK: Another officer shot

[Oldbillplod]

A police officer was shot and seriously injured yesterday as he tried to talk to a man, said to be threatened with eviction from his home, about anti-social behaviour.

PC David Lomas, 34, from Bury, near Manchester, was shot in the upper torso. He was airlifted to the Royal Preston hospital where he underwent surgery. PC Lomas, who joined the force four years ago and is a local community beat officer, is in a comfortable condition. His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

A second officer managed to escape the incident in Hardman Avenue, Rawtenstall, without being injured.

Armed officers surrounded a maisonette and a half-mile cordon was thrown around the area. It is thought that missiles including makeshift firebombs were hurled out of a window after the shooting at 2pm yesterday.

The man in the dispute was named as Steven Hensby, a single man in his 50s. He is understood to have been unemployed for a long period.

Mr Hensby was described by his neighbours as a loner who liked riding his field bikes and collecting scrap metal from a nearby quarry. He has no other family since the death two-and-a-half years ago of his mother, Emily.

He has been involved in a long-standing eviction dispute with Rossendale council following his mother's death.

A neighbour, Leslie Owen, 40, said: "He's been fighting Rossendale council over the eviction, as the house is in his mother's name."

Mr Hensby's next-door neighbour, Michaela Holt, 34, said she had heard that Mr Hensby had told people he would refuse to leave the property. "He said if he was evicted, he will refuse to go and he would torch it," she said.

Her husband, Adrian, said he had received a phone call from a neighbour saying there was a siege.

Mr Holt described his neighbour as a "bit of a loner, who kept himself to himself". He added: "It is a bit of a surprise, because he was always very polite ... I would say he was a very considerate sort of person."

Another neighbour, June Edge, 59, said: "He was nicknamed 'crusty man'. He used to go out scrawling graffiti all over the place saying things like 'crusty man was here.' I only spoke to him this morning and he said he was going down to the council to sort out his house.

"He came back today and set his shed on fire. Something must have snapped in him because he was quiet really."

A police helicopter hovered overhead all afternoon.

Mr Hensby's immediate neighbours were told to stay indoors. People returning home from work were directed to a nearby school.

Chief Superintendent Jerry Graham of Lancashire police, said negotiators were trying to make contact with a man.

"At 2pm, two officers attended an address in Hardman Avenue," Mr Graham said. "One police officer was shot and was subsequently taken away by air ambulance to the Royal Preston hospital with injuries to his upper torso.

"This is an ongoing incident ... negotiators are attempting to make contact with the man and bring it to a speedy conclusion."

He said police were not sure what type of gun had been used.

Mr Graham said the officers were on a routine inquiry and the level of violence they had encountered was unexpected.

"Although [PC Lomas] has a relatively short career with Lancashire constabulary he is very highly regarded and I have had lots of commendations from the local community."

[Oldbillplod]

And the latest info, thankfully he killed himself :D so we won't have to go to the expense of a trial and paying for his prison keep.

A man suspected of shooting a police officer was found dead in his home this morning after an 18-hour armed siege came to an end, police said.

PC David Lomas, 34, was shot at around 2pm yesterday when a routine arrest turned into an armed siege in Rawtenstall, Lancashire.

The suspect, named as Stephen Hensby, 54, and described by neighbours as a loner who liked collecting scrap metal, was found dead when armed police stormed the house at 6.30am.

"Following an extensive overnight police operation, firearms officers entered a premises on Hardman Avenue this morning where they found a deceased male in an upstairs bedroom," said Chief Superintendent Jerry Graham, of Lancashire police.

"A deceased dog was also found in the bedroom. No other people were present in the house when police officers entered and no further shots were fired. This was a difficult operation where the safety of the public and police officers was paramount. A police investigation has now been launched."

Mr Lomas, 34, from Bury, Greater Manchester, was with a colleague when he was fired at with a shotgun as they approached the house. They were responding to reports of anti-social behaviour and "could not have predicted the level of violence that he was met with", Mr Graham said.

Mr Lomas, a community police manager in nearby Haslingden, was airlifted to Royal Preston hospital where he is said to be comfortable after undergoing surgery. A single man who joined Lancashire constabulary in August 2001, he was wearing a stab vest when he was shot. Mr Graham said that was standard uniform for the job Mr Lomas was expecting to undertake.

He said officers raided the house at 6.30am today because it was the safest time for the public and the police. The half-mile cordon in the area was lifted shortly after 8am, although Hardman Avenue remained blocked off outside the house.

Forensic teams were examining the house and a blue car outside which had had its windows shot in the attack on the police.

Dozens of armed officers were called to the house and a stand-off followed as negotiators tried to contact the man inside the property.

The body of Mr Hensby, who was in a long-standing eviction dispute with Rossendale council, was found with that of his rottweiler. Neighbours said he was an unemployed loner who had lived by himself since his mother died three years ago.

He was known as "crusty man" in the area and sometimes went out shooting rabbits and pigeons. During yesterday's siege, neighbours said they thought Mr Hensby had threatened to set fire to his home because he was being evicted.

"He used to go out scrawling graffiti all over the place saying things like 'crusty man was here'," neighbour June Edge, 59, said yesterday. "I only spoke to him this morning and he said he was going down to the council to sort out his house."

A Lancashire police spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that entry to the property was gained at 6.30am and was not the result of any activity in the property but part of the police tactical operation."

[Wombat311]

Hooray! I'm glad PC Lomas' injuries aren't life threatening and I love a happy ending. :D

[Frogdiver]

Heres to a quick recovery and the officer's return to protecting the public he serves. The outcome proves a God exists and he definitely has a proper sense of justice.

[Wombat311]

Hey Bill - any chance they're going to look again at giving you guys firearms?

I bet it would have been over a lot quicker if his partner had been armed.

[Oldbillplod]

Hey Bill - any chance they're going to look again at giving you guys firearms?

I bet it would have been over a lot quicker if his partner had been armed.

Did you not read my thread on the home secretary refusing us tasers?........
And you think they are going to give us guns?

[Wombat311]

Did you not read my thread on the home secretary refusing us tasers?........
And you think they are going to give us guns?

Sorry. Missed the home secretary one.

What's the problem, are they just scared of letting go of old traditions, or is it a financial thing? (It would be huge to equip and train a whole country)

[Oldbillplod]

Sorry. Missed the home secretary one.

What's the problem, are they just scared of letting go of old traditions, or is it a financial thing?

Im guessing both reasons, a lot of politiicans believe (or so they say) that if we routinely arm the UK police then we will have lost touch with the people.

[Cat_Doc]

Im guessing both reasons, a lot of politiicans believe (or so they say) that if we routinely arm the UK police then we will have lost touch with the people.

Not really. You could actually "touch" them from a bit farther away! ;)

[Wombat311]

Im guessing both reasons, a lot of politiicans believe (or so they say) that if we routinely arm the UK police then we will have lost touch with the people.

Wel, that argument doesn't make sens to me. If you stopped the 'bobby on the beat' then I could see their point, but simply letting you effectively defend yourselves against armed villains would not make you lose touch with the people. (unless you armed everyone with an MP-5 :p Tehn I wouldn't go near you)

[fatboyjim154]

Im guessing both reasons, a lot of politiicans believe (or so they say) that if we routinely arm the UK police then we will have lost touch with the people.

Which has moved on from, "if we arm the police criminals will carry guns!"

[Mr Crustacean]

Just got back from a trip to Turkey and find out a colleague has been shot!

There has been some pretty graphic footage on the TV both local and national, showing the offender discharging his firearm out of a first floor bedroom window photo and throwing what appear to be petrol bombs.

I wish PC Lomas a speedy and full recovery.


Crustacean.

[KittyMom]

I'm only sorry the "antisocial" sod took the dog with him. Although it was probably antisocial too, if it was his!

[oscarmitre]

Which has moved on from, "if we arm the police criminals will carry guns!"

It was always the case the cops tooled up in response to armed crooks. Even in New York City. Time for your govt to - with all due respect - get its finger out and get the with times.

[oscarmitre]

Just got back from a trip to Turkey and find out a colleague has been shot!

There has been some pretty graphic footage on the TV both local and national, showing the offender discharging his firearm out of a first floor bedroom window photo and throwing what appear to be petrol bombs.

I wish PC Lomas a speedy and full recovery.


Crustacean.

Hiya Lobster - good to hear PC Lomas is on the mend.