Author: Ollie Cowan

Police are]e today (Tuesday 5th March) welcoming the sentencing of a 26 year-old man after a pensioner was robbed in Blundellsands.

The victim, a 75 year-old man, was dragged to the floor in Fountain Court and had his Rolex watch and wallet stolen by two males who made threats to physically harm him.

Alexander Billinge, of Lyneham, Whiston, admitted robbery and was sentenced to a total of seven years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court following the incident in October 2016.

Detective Constable Neil Jones said: “This was a particularly nasty robbery on an elderly man but thankfully incidents like this are very rare.

“The victim was not seriously injured but he was left visibly shaken and shocked by his ordeal.

“Considerable work went into building a case against Billinge and finally bringing him to justice. I am pleased that Billinge will now spend a considerable amount of time behind bars to reflect on his actions.

“I also hope that it means that the victim can now move on with his life and finally put this upsetting ordeal behind him.”

In a personal statement shared with the court the victim said: “I was very shaken by what happened and have been extremely cautious ever since.

“I was putting my car away one day and the leaves behind me just rustled and I nearly jumped out of my skin. It has made me nervous but I hope that will go away.

“Before this happened I didn’t feel nervous about anything.”

The Merseyside Police and Crime Panel is seeking a committed and enthusiastic person from the Merseyside area to serve as a co-opted independent member on the panel from July 2019 for a term to end in May 2023.

This role is an exciting opportunity to be involved in the arrangements for police governance and accountability, which would involve scrutinising and supporting the Police and Crime Commissioner.

The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 introduced significant changes in police governance and accountability; in particular, replacing Police Authorities by directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) from November 2012.

In summary, the public accountability for the delivery and performance of the police service within each force is now placed into the hands of the PCC on behalf of their electorate. The PCC draws on this electoral mandate to set and shape the strategic objectives of their force area in consultation with the Chief Constable. The PCC is accountable both to the electorate and the Police and Crime Panel; the Chief Constable is directly accountable to the PCC.

Each force area has a Police and Crime Panel to offer both support and challenge in relation to the PCC’s decision-making and actions. The PCC is required to consult with the Panel on the strategic plan for local policing, as well as the level of council tax needed to support the local policing budget, and the appointment of a Chief Constable. Independent members, through their knowledge and experience, are expected to enhance the Panel’s ability to play its role effectively.

The panel is made up of 10 local councillors in total from the five local authorities in the force area, plus two independent co-opted members.

The role of a panel member is an important and demanding one. The typical commitment required from a member of the panel is expected to average one day a month, including preparation time.

Applicants must live or work within the Merseyside area (Knowsley, Liverpool, St Helens, Sefton and Wirral). Experience in community safety, victim support, criminal justice and related issues would be helpful, but is not essential. There is no salary for the role, but reasonable travel expenses can be reclaimed.

Panel Meetings are generally held in the daytime with meetings ordinarily being held in Huyton, Knowsley. All panel members receive induction and other appropriate training.

Please telephone 0151-443-3367 to request a copy of the application pack.