The Bradley Stoke Journal

Local police have named Bradley Stoke’s new Council-funded Police Community Support Officer as Paul Baxter, who currently works on the Filton beat.

PCSO Baxter, who has been with the force for two years, will join the Bradley Stoke beat team in September.

Bradley Stoke is one of five neighbourhood police teams being strengthened by the addition of a PCSO funded directly by South Gloucestershire Council.

News of the appointment comes in the August/September edition of the Bradley Stoke neighbourhood policing team newsletter.

The newsletter also contains a report on a cricket match that took place recently between police and residents.

Sgt Steve Ives and a team of PCSOs from Bradley Stoke and Patchway took on local people in a contest on Patchway Common on Sunday 9th August. On this occasion, the residents’ team cam out on top by 202-160 but police say they are looking for a rematch to even the score.

Residents are invited to suggest further ideas for improving contact between police and local residents.

More Information and Related Links:

• Bradley Stoke Police Newsletter, Aug/Sep 2009 [PDF, 295KB]
• Bradley Stoke Police (The Journal)

An attack which saw a group of youths force a snake to bite their 14-year-old victim in Bradley Stoke has hit the national headlines.

The story was broken by the Bristol Evening Post (BEP) at 10am on Sunday.

Their report, titled “Teen attacked by Bristol gang ‘brandishing snake’“, said the incident had occurred in Merryweather Close, Bradley Stoke, on Saturday afternoon. The victim is said to have been subjected to racist comments from the gang.

The paper went on to say that the boy was taken to Frenchay Hospital, where he was treated for a bite wound on his right arm.

The story was soon picked up by the national press, with BEP stablemate The Daily Mail [report] leading the way. Other nationals covering the incident included The Telegraph [report] and The Guardian [report].

More details were revealed in a BBC Points West report on Monday, in which the victim was named as Dan Buddington.

Confusingly, the BBC report said the incident took place in “Patchway Common, Bradley Stoke”. Video footage in the report showed images of Patchway Common Pavilion and Patchway Common Skate Park, both of which are in Patchway rather than Bradley Stoke.

An updated report in Monday’s BEP says: “A 16 and 17-year-old are helping police with their inquiries following the incident.”

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Staple Hill police station on 0845 456 7000.