August 2000

2 year campaign results in "Unlawful killing" verdict (25 August 2000)

Big spending City off to dazzling start (Aug 23, 2000)

Show move fears unfounded (August 9, 2000)

March for Peace (August 1, 2000)

2 year campaign results in "Unlawful killing" verdict

An inquest jury returned a verdict of "unlawful killing" on the death of 37 year old Christopher Alder, who died "while in a police van and being laid on the floor of the custody suite".

Charges against 5 Hull police officers are now to be reviewed in the light of the verdict.

The result marks a personal victory for Christopher's family, particularly his sister Janet who has campaigned relentlessly to uncover the truth of Christophers death in April 1998.

Speaking at a meeting in Bradford last year Janet said:

"It wasn't until I went to Hull and asked some awkward questions that they suspended the 5 police officers concerned - 4 weeks later. Whoever was responsible should be prosecuted. I want justice for my brother."

Christopher was arrested at Hull Royal Infirmary for a "breach of the peace" following an earlier fight outside a night club. Video footage shown at the inquest recorded Christopher's final dying moments as police officers watched on unconcerned.

Every 3 weeks 10 people die in police and prison custody.

See previous posting

Big spending City off to dazzling start

Fans concerns about the high cost of Bradford City's new star Benito Carbone disappeared last night when the Bantams crushed Chelsea 2-0 in a dazzling display.

Carbone, who cost City a £2 million personal sign-up fee and an annual wage of £1.5 million, worked hard throughout his 88 minutes on the pitch, scoring City's second goal, instilling confidence into the other players and putting a real fright into one of the Premier's most fancied and expensive teams.

Writing of Carbone's signing in the fanzine "City Gent", Dave Pendleton had said:

"Undoubtedly it will be good business if City survive and prosper in the Premiership, but in a low wage city - most fans yearly income will be a third of Carbone's weekly wage - any perceived slacking could easily result in a vicious backlash."

Last night's surprise result follows City's narrow defeat in their opening match at Liverpool last week.

City clung on to Premiership football last season by the skin of their teeth, despite the confident prediction from soccer pundit Rodney Marsh that they faced certain relegation. Marsh will eat humble pie when he has his head shaved in front of the Valley Parade crowd this Saturday.

But as Premiership football costs escalate and with current City tickets averaging just under £30 a game, next season is likely to cost City fans a good deal more if the Club has any prospect of long term success.

See City Gent - unofficial supporters site
See also: Bradford City AFC Official site

Show move fears unfounded

Bingley Show, or to give it it's full title, the Airedale Agricultural Society Show, this year moved from it's old home in Myrtle Park to the sports ground on Wagon Lane. A combination of more space and a lower turnout than usual meant that there was plenty of room to wander amongst the stalls and marquees. But a healthy crowd of around 20,000 quashed earlier fears that the controversial shift in location might prove disastrous.

The show is divided into sections; the Goat Section, the Horticulture Section and so on. Each one is organised separately with it's own marquee, it's own stewards and it's own judges. The result is a series of events within an event, each with it's own enthusiasts and supporters. For the public there is the chance to enjoy the results of all the hard work whether it is the largest onion in the show or the fanciest pigeon.

Bradford City Farm's stand drew a good crowd as children petted the donkey, the goats and the two week old piglets. Bingley Show has been bringing the agriculture of the Aire Valley into the lives of the general public for 122 years now. The City Farm tries to do it all year round. Long may they both continue.

March for Peace

300 people, mostly from the local African-Carribean communities, marched for peace through the Manningham area of Bradford at the weekend, following a fortnight of shootings in the city.

The march, which was heavily policed, finished outside the Young Lion cafe, where 27 year old Dexter "X" Coleman was shot to death on July 14th. The crowd stood in 2 minutes silence in Dexter's memory, before friends called for "Justice for Dexter" and urged people to come forward and co-operate with the police inquiry to trace his killer.

Dexter was "targetted" by his killer during an attack by a large group of mostly Asian youths at the Young Lion cafe at 7.30 pm that Friday evening. Dexter was shot in the back at close range. Another African-Carribean man was badly beaten as they tried to seek refuge in the cafe. It was almost half an hour after the police were called before paramedics could attend him, but by then it was too late.

It is widely believed that this was a revenge attack, linked to a fight in a pub 2 days earlier, and the trashing of a car closeby just one hour before the shooting.

So far half a dozen men have been arrested and charged with violent disorder, mostly from Girlington and the West Bowling area where Dexter lived.

Police insist the murder is not connected with a series of further "drive-by" shootings in the city, which appear to mark a street war between young, Asian would-be gangsters. There is growing concern at the rapid escalation in violence associated with a number of young gangs who are believed to be involved in heroin and crack dealing. Police have made a number of arrests in connection with these incidents.

See also: Diary of violence

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