Putney’s police inspector has personally written to West Hill residents this week to reassure them following a shocking murder just off Queensmere Road.
Inspector Paul James, who leads the Met in Putney, told residents the killing “appears to be an isolated incident” and that patrols in the area have been stepped up since the night police were first called, Thursday 9 July. Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Minopoli was back on patrol in the vicinity today, he said, and residents with concerns can speak to the local team directly or approach officers on the street.
James has made a habit of getting personally involved since taking over Putney’s policing in March. In June he patrolled West Hill himself over anti-social behaviour at a venue in the ward, telling residents his team faced a “complex situation” there. He took charge at a difficult moment for public confidence: a trust survey published in June found police confidence in the borough had slipped to 47% who think police do a good job, down three points on the year.
The case so far
Joshua Miller, 32, and Jamie Cooper, 27, both of Kingfisher Court, were charged last week over the death of Dale Mundell, 34, from Islington. Miller faces a murder charge, and both men are charged with preventing a lawful burial, as we reported when they first appeared at Medway Magistrates’ Court on 13 July. The case has now moved to Maidstone Crown Court.
When police were first called that Thursday, officers found the Kingfisher Court property empty, but a search led them to believe someone had been harmed there, and a murder investigation was launched. The next day, officers searching woodland at Borstal Recreation Ground, near Rochester, Kent, found Mr Mundell’s body inside a suitcase. A post-mortem was carried out on Saturday 11 July, though the cause of death has not yet been determined.
Detective Inspector Ben Dalloway, who is leading the murder investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with the victim’s family, who are understandably distraught at their loss. We will continue to offer them every support.” Police say the victim and the two men charged were known to each other, and a third man, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, has since been released on bail.
