Misleading Headlines R Us!

Police have admitted they took too long to respond to a call from bouncers who were restraining a man who later died, it has been revealed.

And indeed, the screaming ‘Echo’ headline leaves no doubt:

So…is 21 minutes a long time? The answer might surprise you.

An Essex Police spokesperson said: “An incident of this nature would attract a target response time of 15 minutes.

“Unfortunately, due to it being exceptionally busy that night, the response took 21 minutes.

“Given the delay, Essex Police did refer the matter to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, which referred it back to the force.

“An internal investigation did not find any misconduct in respect of officers’ actions.”

So they were only ‘late’ by six minutes. Not quite the impression the headline gives, eh?

Mr Lamude’s grieving mother Pat Eaton, from Canvey , refused to comment about the police response time, but feels someone should be held accountable for her son’s death.

Well, the bouncers were all acquitted, so it’s clearly not them.

The police clearly aren’t to blame.

I guess that just leaves your son, then, for getting into the sort of state that necessitates being first ejected from a nightclub and then held down by four bouncers in the wee small hours of the morning.

Or…wasn’t that the answer you wanted to hear?