Belinda comes back into the room, looking amused.
‘Talking to that man is like herding cats,’ she announces. ‘Everything has to be explained very carefully. He’s going to see what he can find out. Apparently, if Joe was arrested, he might be able to track down something from the evidence action book, and see what happened. I gave him Joe’s date of birth, and a rough timescale – very rough. So now, all we can do is wait.’
Chapter 28
Reporting officer: JOHN WALKER (PC499)
Date of incident: 14.09.09
Time of incident: 14.30
Time of arrest: 15.15
Witness statements: ATTACHED, SIGNED
Narrative: I was called to the scene of a disturbance at Kentish Town Tube station at 14.41, while on patrol, accompanied by PC CLARE BAKER (527).
Upon arrival we saw the victim, later identified as Steven Kennedy, in need of medical assistance following a physical altercation with the accused, later identified as Joseph Ryan. Paramedics were called and arrived at 14.59. Mr Kennedy received treatment on site for lacerations, bruising and a suspected broken nose, before being removed to hospital care.
Mr Ryan was being physically restrained by station staff, in an agitated state. Initial investigations revealed bruising and grazes to Mr Ryan’s knuckles, and blood spatter on his clothes. He was hostile to interview attempts on the scene and later removed to the custody of Camden Police Station.
Mr Ryan was unharmed apart from the above-mentioned injuries, which it appears were sustained during his attack on Mr Kennedy. Mr Ryan refused to cooperate with myself and PC Baker, but did not display any physical violence towards us.
When asked why he had assaulted Mr Kennedy, Mr Ryan replied: ‘He was beating the crap out of his dog, and I wanted him to know what that felt like.’
Mr Kennedy had been accompanied by his dog – a female Staffordshire Bull terrier, approximately twelve years of age, called Maisie. Witnesses entering the Tube station alleged that they saw Mr Kennedy repeatedly kick the dog, calling it a ‘useless piece of shit’ before the incident.
The dog, which was in a state described later by animal control officers as ‘emaciated and neglected’, was removed by wardens. A further case may be made against Mr Kennedy for his treatment of the dog.
Mr Khalil Ahmed, station duty manager, reported the incident and was interviewed at the scene. Mr Ahmed was visibly shaken but provided a clear eye witness account which was supported by three further witnesses, statements attached.
When asked how the incident had started, Mr Ahmed explained that he was familiar on a facial recognition basis with both Mr Ryan and Mr Kennedy, who regularly use the Tube station. He described Mr Ryan as ‘pleasant and polite, always had a good morning for me, never rude when the ticket machines were broken, like some people.’
He stated that Mr Kennedy was also a regular user of the station, often accompanied by his dog. Mr Ahmed was reluctant to characterise Mr Kennedy, beyond stating that he often seemed angry and aggravated.
Mr Ahmed said that Mr Ryan had watched as Mr Kennedy kicked the dog, and stepped in to prevent him from repeating the action. He said that Mr Kennedy gave Mr Ryan ‘a complete mouthful’, and told him to mind his own business. He added that Mr Kennedy used several words that he would not care to repeat, but further questioning revealed that he had called Mr Ryan a ‘fucking busybody’ and a ‘gyppo bastard’.
When Mr Kennedy allegedly kicked the dog one more time, Mr Ryan is described as ‘losing it’. Further eye witnesses describe seeing Mr Ryan throw several punches, striking Mr Kennedy on the face.
Mr Ahmed, when asked if the altercation was reciprocal, replied that Mr Kennedy ‘didn’t stand a chance’, and explained that Mr Ryan only seemed to calm down when he became aware of a young child standing nearby with his mother. The child – accompanied by Mrs Aisha Johnson, witness statement attached – was crying and visibly upset.
Mr Ryan apologised to Mrs Johnson at that point, and allegedly told Mr Kennedy he was ‘taking his bloody dog’, attempting to pick up the lead attached to the animal. Mr Kennedy, who was at this stage on the ground, was heard to say: ‘No you’re not, you thieving twat, she’s my dog and I’ll kick her as much as I like.’
Mr Ahmed and another member of station staff – Miss Chantelle Mayhew – intervened to prevent the altercation resuming. Miss Mayhew stood between the victim and Mr Ryan, and, in her words, ‘kind of formed a human barrier – I was pretty sure a man who started a fight to protect a dog wouldn’t hit a woman, and I was right.’
Miss Mayhew adds that although Mr Ryan did not in any way harm her, she was frightened nonetheless. She asks in her statement for it to be noted that Mr Ryan did apologise when he realised she was scared, and also further asked that it be noted that Mr Kennedy was ‘a complete knob’, and that in her opinion he ‘deserved everything he got’.
Mr Ryan was remanded into custody pending further inquiries. Mr Kennedy was later released from hospital, refusing further treatment. Attempts at follow-up interviews with Mr Kennedy have so far proven unsuccessful, as the home address he provided to medical staff and officers on the scene was incorrect.
Dr Emile Dabrowski, who treated Mr Kennedy in the Accident and Emergency department, reported that Mr Kennedy had been verbally abusive to several staff, calling one of the nurses a ‘wog’, and accusing Dr Dabrowski of being in the UK illegally.
Full witness statements and crime scene photographs are attached.
Chapter 29
‘Well, he always did like dogs,’ says Belinda, after we read the report. She seems totally unperturbed by Joe’s act of violence, which is more than I can say for myself.
The Joe I knew had never been a violent man. Tough, yes, and with a definite air of physical confidence – but I’d never seen him actually fight with anyone. He once told me that appearing unafraid of violence was the best protection against it – that if you held yourself the right way, and gave off the right vibes, people wouldn’t mess with you in the first place.
We are waiting on some further information that Liam thinks he can track down, and eating fresh croissants in Andrew’s kitchen. He is getting ready for a day at work, and tells us that if we need him to, he can see if the infamous Mr Kennedy is featured in any further medical records.
‘I couldn’t tell you anything about his treatment or condition or technically anything at all … but I will help any way I can,’ he says, as he leaves.
Belinda just nods, but I feel weirdly conflicted. Liam is bending rules for sure. Andrew has offered to as well. It’s spiralling out of control, and it is affecting my precious sense of order.
‘A lot of people are getting dragged into this,’ I say, losing my appetite and pushing the croissant away. ‘A lot of people are breaking rules for us.’
Belinda stares at me, looking frankly terrifying across the counter. She shakes her head in disbelief, and says: ‘A lot of people are breaking rules for us because they care. About Joe, about you. They’re doing it because of love, and loyalty, and trust – and that’s fucking brilliant! Don’t piss me off by going all fairy princess on me, Jess, OK? This is hard enough without your prissy sense of morality getting in the way.’