How safe is St Helier?

The Constable of St Helier, Simon Crowcroft Picture: MATTHEW HOTTON (00884814)

THE fear of becoming a victim of violent crime is affecting Islanders and deterring potential visitors from exploring St Helier at night.
Today the JEP begins a major week-long series investigating how safe Jersey’s streets are and what effects it is having on our community.
And in the first part of the series, St Helier Constable Simon Crowcroft has revealed the damaging effect violence is having on his parish, while a teenager has re-lived losing his front teeth during a vicious attack last year.
The shocking level of street crime and serious violence in town has been highlighted in many high-profile court cases recently. (from JEP)

Having travelled a hell of a lot, St Helier remains one of the few places that I have felt uncomfortable when out at night and that has been for many years not just recently.

I agree, I lived in South London for 4 years and St Helier frightens me more than Brixton, Streatham, Tooting and Croydon ever did (said with tongue very firmly in cheek).

I agree, techno, I spent 7 years in Streatham and Thornton Heath. The night bus through Brixton was nowhere near as scary as St Helier. (Tongue almost piercing cheek.)

Spirit did you ever go the other St Helier (very big council estate), the one that borders Mitcham and Carshalton?

There was a pub there called the St Helier Arms which was closed down because of the violence (a couple of murders, numerous stabbings, glassings etc) at one point it was known as the most dangerous pub in Britain. No doubt the crapauds think that Chambers is the modern day equivalent...........!!!

No, just outside of my working patch. Used to do Phipps Bridge Estate, A large tower block estate, built to home Romanys. During the day we could get a Police escort but after dark they refused to go in.

At one time it had the highest murder rate in the UK. The entrances to the tower blocks were covered with a reinforced concrete canopy. This was because of the local sport of dropping concrete blocks and paving slabs on unsuspecting visitors. It also protected the innocent from the one or two suicides per week.

In the mid '80s it lost it's No1 status to Angel Town.

I know where you mean, I lived in Morden for a while so it was very nearby, not somewhere I frequented though I have to admit! Once the Arms had closed down you used to get quite a few St Helier guys using Morden pubs, which were also used by the Phipps Bridge lot so you can imagine the atmosphere some nights - charged to say the least!!!

Roy Travert: Doormen should have the same protection as police

DOORMEN in Jersey are asking for stab vests and metal detectors for their own protection.
In the second part of the JEP’s week-long investigation into street violence in Jersey, one doorman has written on behalf of his colleagues to States Members asking them to give door staff the same level of personal protection as the States and honorary police.
Roy Travert, who has worked part-time in the security industry for three years, has written to Home Affairs Minister Ian Le Marquand and Economic Development Minister Alan Maclean to ask for new laws to be introduced that protect security staff against violent and verbal assaults, as well as stiffer sentencing for those who assault members of staff.
Mr Travert, who stood for election to the States in 2005, has also requested that door supervisors be equipped with stab vests and metal detectors for a trial period of three months.
‘This is standard procedure in many nightclubs in the UK and abroad,’ he said.(from JEP)