Christmas crime: Blind violinist is robbed as she plays in London church
mainThis just in from our local paper. Let’s hope support pours in for Abi Baker.
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Ms Baker has had a bad year, having been ejected from a restaurant :
http://www.getwestlondon.co.uk/news/local-news/blind-woman-humiliated-after-being-5966338
The Vicar seems a bit callous. Least the Church could have done was provide a safe place for people to leave purses and other valuables. The crime having been committed, he might have taken less of an “on their heads be it” attitude.
If the church is simply providing its facilities to a group (Brent Symphony Orchestra0 to use to perform, it’s not really the church’s responsibility to provide an additional ‘safe place’. I’m sure they hire the facilities “as is”, and it’s up to the hirers or users how they run it from there.
Even with an “as is” situation, there is still the sense of a reasonable expectancy of some sort of a modicum of security. Any reasonable person, including this vicar and anon below him would reasonably expect the same had it them iin that situation.
That it is a blind violinist who is the victim doesn’t change the circumstances except to add a poignancy which is visceral for this reader.
Does anyone know of a fund for contributions? My sister is blind and had a similar incident happen years ago. I’d like to help.
Churches are some of the most risky places to play. In some London churches, the only way to ensure that one’s bag/purse is safe during rehearsals (and concerts in some instances) is to sit on it! I have known musicians have their valuables stolen during rehearsals in St Martin’s, St James’s Piccadilly, St Mary-at-Hill … The church will generally warn hirers, and they take no responsibility.