Teenager charged over Peak Valley death
A teenager has been remanded in custody after a 64-year-old man died outside his housing association home last week.
Kial Cottingham, 18, of Sylvester Way, Hattersley appeared before Tameside Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with harassing David Askew, who had learning difficulties. He was remanded for three days.
Mr Askew lived with his mother, who is a tenant of Peak Valley Housing Association.
Greater Manchester police were called on Wednesday morning following reports of youths causing a disturbance and found Mr Askew had collapsed.
It is believed youths had been taunting Mr Askew and he had suffered such abuse before.
Phil Corris, managing director of Peak Valley Housing Association was quoted on Sky News saying the association had been trying to persuade Mr Askew’s mother to move home ‘for some time’.
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Readers' comments (4)
Tameside Eye - http://tameside-eye.blogspot.com/ | 15/03/2010 10:32 am
Why should Mrs. Askew have to move home? She and her family is the innocent party in all this.
These little brats (polite term) should be kicked out and moved on. Eventually no housing association will take them on and as a result they will be homeless.
I don't like how the police have blamed Tameside MBC. If the police did their job in the first place by arresting these individuals and didn't "we'll have a word with them" then this tragic incident wouldn't of happened. Something needs to be done as the neighbours are sick of yob rule.
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Peter | 15/03/2010 3:07 pm
There were reports that Mr Askew was being tormented by yobs for several years. PVHA must have known about the problem too because Mr Corris wanted to move them to another property. The police are blaming the MBC.
I am still not clear who is responsible for preventing and dealing with crime! Who has the ownership of this portfolio? I am sure one come come up many answers and until the responsible agency who is prepared to put their heads above parapet and say we are going to clear up this problem, there will be a lot of buck passing and unacceptable tragedies like this.
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the purple avenger | 15/03/2010 4:33 pm
I agree with both of the posts. If a politicval party were to promise to deal with yobs - and I mean really deal with them (ie. lock them up) - they would sweep to power. I would happily pay extra tax if it went on locking these louts up. I know it may not rehabilitate them - but it would protect the rest of us whilst they rot in jail.
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The ONLY One | 16/03/2010 9:42 am
It always seem to be that the solution is to move the victim!!! An even easier solution is to catch the perpetrators and prosecute them. This is a legal issue which should have been dealt with by the police - the actions were of a criminal nature. I get sick and tired of housing officers left to clear up the mess becasue of a lack of involvement or action by the correct authorities who see this type of behaviour as a distraction from their 'easier' tasks such as speeding cars (generates revenue), school visits (generates good PR), and attending talking shops/seminars which result in.......nothing. Catch, prosecute, punish. This type of incident is being reported now far too often.
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