TEMPLESHIRE CONSTABULARY
RESTRICTED (when complete)
WITNESS STATEMENT
(Criminal Justice Act 1967 s.9; Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980, ss5A (3)(a) and 5B; Magistrates’ Court Rules 1981 r.70)
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Statement of: Mehmet DINC
Age if under 18: 63 years
Occupation: Shop Owner
This statement is true to the best of my knowledge and belief and I make it knowing that if it is tendered in evidence, I shall be liable to prosecution if I have wilfully stated anything in it, which I know to be false, or do not believe to be true.
Signature…..M.Dinc……
Date…20 October (y-1)….
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Tick if witness evidence is visually recorded [ ] (supply witness details on rear)
- I have lived in the UK since 1968 and in Templetown since 1990. When I arrived I opened a small supermarket in Essex Street, Templetown. My late wife and I built up the business and the store has been successful since it opened.
- My wife died in (y-10). I continued to run the store with the assistance of my two children, Nadia (now 22) and Djemal (now 27). Nadia left to go to university in (y-4) and is currently studying medicine. She is doing very well.
- My wife and I began to have problems with Djemal in (y-12), when he was 16. He dropped out of school before starting his "A" levels and would not find a job. He occasionally helped in the shop but was unreliable and lazy. Money started to go missing. It was clear that he was in some sort of trouble. One day, in mid (y-11), two men came to the shop and threatened myself and my wife. They told me that Djemal owed them £1000 for drugs and that, if we didn't pay his debt, they would break up the shop and beat up my wife. We were so scared we gave them £1,000 from the week's takings. I believe that my wife never recovered from the shock of that day. Within a year she had an enormous heart attack which was fatal.
- As soon as I saw Djemal after we had paid off these men, I threw him out of my house and stopped him coming to the shop. I told him we didn't want to see him until he had grown up.
- I next saw him at his mother's funeral. He looked a complete mess. He was scruffy, unwashed and he hair was long. He told me that he was living in a squat and begging for money to eat. He was obviously still taking drugs and I asked him what he was taking. He finally told me it was heroin. I gave him £100 and he left.
- Djemal would come to the shop once or twice a month thereafter. He would have a cup of tea with me and I would give him some money. He told me that he had got a council flat and
- was on benefits. By 2005, he seemed to be slightly more organised and happier, although I doubt that he was off the drugs. Each time I saw him I would give him something - £50, £80 or £100.
- In December 2005, Djemal was sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment for two offences of possession of heroin with intent to supply. He was released in early 2009.
- We had been in regular contact since he had been in prison. He found the whole experience terrifying and I really believed that he was going to turn his life around when he was released. In order to help him, I agreed that he could live back with me in the flat above the supermarket. I also gave him a job, stacking shelves and making deliveries, in order to provide him with some income, a sensible way to occupy him time and some dignity.
- Yesterday, 19th October, was the anniversary of my wife's death. I wanted to visit the cemetery to place flowers on her grave and also to visit the mosque to say prayers for her. It is always a very sad day for me and I was planning to keep the shop closed.
- We were due to have some deliveries and so I told Djemal that he should put up a notice to the effect that the shop was closed but he should sit in the shop and await the deliveries.
- The deliveries, which were of meat, bread and alcohol all had to be paid for. I gave Djemal three envelopes, one marked "Meat", one "Bread" and one "Drink". I did not tell him what was in each envelope.
- There was £400 in the "Meat" envelope. In the "Bread" envelope was £200. In the "Drink" envelope was £800. These were important deliveries. I would not have asked Djemal if I had any other alternative, but my assistant was away ill.
- I drove Djemal to the store on my way to the cemetery. Let him in (he does not have keys) and told him that I would be back at 1:00pm, when he could leave.
- I returned at 1:00. The shop was empty. The door to the shop was unlocked, although, thankfully nothing had been stolen. There were notes from three different delivery men which had been pushed through the letterbox. Each of them complained that there was no one present to receive the deliveries and to pay for them.
- I went upstairs to the flat. There was nobody there. I went to Djemal's room. His clothes were gone. I have not seen him since I dropped him at the flat yesterday. He has obviously taken the money and done a runner. I really thought he had changed.
Signed....M.Dinc……