Leigh MP speaks on 'rising ASB and violent crime'

James Grundy says he has received a significant number of correspondences from residents in relation to "both rising anti-social behaviour and more violent crime" in recent weeks.

The Journal reported earlier this month after a 30-year-old dog walker was reportedly stabbed aftr a confrontation with a group of tenage boys on Higher Green Lane, Astley.

Mr Grundy says he contacted local police over the concerns and held a meeting with officers.

"Over the last few weeks, I have received a significantly increased number of emails from local residents, expressing their concern about both rising anti-social behaviour and more violent crime," the Conservative MP said.

“Whilst Parliamentary protocol prevents me from commenting in depth on specific cases, I know that the violent crimes, such as stabbings, taking place within the Leigh constituency are deeply concerning, with many residents telling me that they no longer feel safe leaving their homes alone, especially at night.

“This is why I recently contacted the Senior Policing Team within Wigan’s branch of GMP, who are responsible for policing within Leigh, to request an urgent meeting to raise the concerns of local residents, and to hear what GMP propose to tackle these serious problems, in addition to writing to request a meeting with the Home Secretary to raise the specific concerns Leigh residents have.

“During my meeting with the police, I was briefed about Operation Bluefin, which is dedicated to tackling rising ASB and Violent Crime in Leigh and has been in operation since March 1, and during my recent meeting with the Home Secretary, I was also reassured about the action being taken at a national level to resolve the issues within GMP, such as placing GMP in special measures, the recruitment of extra police officers and extra funding to tackle serious violent crime."

James Grundy MP

The MP urged anyone with information in crime in the area to report it to the police to aid in the hunt for the perpetrators and to help prevent incidents in the future.

He added: “Finally, whilst I know that many people are sharing reports of crime on social media, which helps boost public awareness, it is vitally important that anyone who is a victim of a crime, a witness, or anyone who has any information that may assist in tackling local crime, to report this to the police, to ensure that they have the fullest picture of the crimes taking place in our local area, as this assists the police in terms of their patrols, resource allocation, and most importantly, finding the perpetrators and preventing such crimes from happening again.”