Heartless Shepway make residents pay for being victims of crime

10.30.14am GMT Sun 18th Feb 2007

Shepway District Council is charging two of its tenants, both of whom are in their 80s, over £70 each for changing the locks to their properties after they had suffered a terrifying attack late last year.

Local Lib Dem Campaigner Gary Fuller was horrified when he was called by one of the tenants to ask for his help. He said:

"It beggar's belief that the council is charging people for being the victims of a crime. It is hard enough for victims to cope, without the council adding insult to injury and punishing people for acting on the advice of the police."

Gary was contacted by one of the victims after the council refused to waive the bill for replacing the lock on his front door and that of his sister-in-law. The council's refusal came despite being made aware of the reason for the locks being changed and despite being made aware of the fact that the victims had reported the crime and were told to call a locksmith by the police due to the fact that their front door keys had been stolen during the attack.

Gary has written to Shepway District Council and requested that they reconsider their position and apologise to the victims for the heartless cash demand.