Llay residents still have concerns about people being released from custody into their community

Since it opened late last year, the new North Wales Police HQ in Davy Way in Llay, has led to concerns being raised by residents of men being seen wandering through the village, looking lost.

After Cllr Rob Walsh raised the issue at the June monthly meeting of Llay Community Council, Inspector Darren Whibberley of North Wales Police moved to reassure community leaders that people released from custody into their village did not pose any risk.

However, speaking at a Llay Community Council meeting on Wednesday evening, its Chair Cllr Bryan Apsley, said the Inspector's comments had been "unhelpful" and "made light" of the complaint that had been raised by Cllr Walsh.

Cllr Apsley said: "The letter Rob received back from the Inspector wasn't very helpful. It was as if Rob had made a complaint that wasn't even valid.

"Both myself and Sandra (fellow councillor and wife Sandra Apsley) have had an incident when it was clear someone wasn't aware of where they where or where they were going and I know plenty of others who have experienced the same."

The discussion had been raised after fellow councillor Kath Powell revealed she had been approached by a man two weeks ago when she was in her front garden, who had no idea where he was.

Cllr Powell said: "He said 'excuse me, can you tell me the way to Wrexham?' and when I asked him where he had came from, he said 'the Police station'."

"He said he hadn't been offered a lift, or even shown which direction to walk towards Wrexham. He told me he was actually travelling back to Flint and was hoping to make his way back there from Wrexham.

"I was concerned to be quite honest with you, because he'd clearly walked all the way through the village not knowing where he was."

PCSO Dean Sawyer, who was present at the meeting said he hoped the incident described by Cllr Powell was an isolated one and that he had raised the matter with two custody Sergeants who had re-assured him of the procedure that was being followed at the station.

He said: "Obviously it's been raised with the Police station about these issues and concerns and I will feed back your information to them."

In his letter to Cllr Walsh, which was also copied to the Leader, Inspector Whibberley had said:

"In each instance a risk assessment is conducted by the custody officer and in terms of their mental and physical condition and any risk they pose to the public, before deciding on the most appropriate release.

"Where it is appropriate to do so, detainees will leave on foot. What we don’t do is judge someone based upon their appearance."