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Alan Reynolds
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Met veteran backing for beggar brawl newsagent
A PROMINENT former police inspector has spoken out in support of a Highbury newsagent who was arrested for tackling a drunken beggar.Alan Reynolds, 77, of Essex Road, built a case against Profumo Affair vice girl Christine Keeler’s pimp and once broke up a violent fight between the Kray and Richardson gangs.
But he says he is at a loss to explain why two British Transport Police (BTP) officers arrested Harendra Bhatt, who allegedly struck a man with a baseball bat who was ransacking his news kiosk outside Highbury and Islington station.
Mr Reynolds, a 27-year veteran of the Met, said: “It seems to me that the officers arrested a man defending himself.
“I think the matter should have been dealt with properly at the scene and this man should not have been arrested.”
Mr Bhatt was bailed until January 23 on assault and offensive weapons charges.
The newsagent praised the “overwhelming” support of the community and has collected more than 400 signatures on a petition protesting at his plight.
Mr Reynolds said: “In my day, I’d have come on the scene as a local officer and would personally know the newsagent. The priority would be to arrest the drunk.”
He began his career in 1957 in Tottenham before serving as a sergeant at West End Central police station.
Mr Reynolds finished as an acting inspector at Kentish Town station and retired in 1982.
When the rest of London was enjoying the ’60s, Mr Reynolds was busy keeping the peace in the West End.
From 1960 to 1976, he was a key figure in the vice squad at West End Central police station.
His team headed the raids that helped jail Stephen Ward, the pimp of vice girl Christine Keeler, famous for her affair with John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War.
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