Union member murdered
A 57-year-old man was murdered on Friday in Bonn Square, increasing fears for student safety in the city.
Graham Payle, a lifetime member of the Oxford Union died after being punched in the head outside Chef's Corner kebab van in front of the Student Union building.
He was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in the early hours of Friday morning, where he later died from his injuries.
Craig Bell, 24, of Routh Road, Barton, appeared before Oxford Magistrates last Saturday charged with his murder.
As a member of the Oxford Union, Payle was a regular at the society's nightclub, The Purple Turtle.
He is also believed to have been a former Oxford student, possibly of Ruskin College, although Union officials remain unsure as the electronic database was only established in 1985.
Staff are said to be "very upset, as everyone was extremely fond of him", describing him as: "always friendly." There are plans to erect a plaque in the Purple Turtle in his memory.
The number of violent crimes occurring in the Oxford area has prompted serious concerns over safety, as statistics show an increase of cases of this sort in the city centre. A spokesman from Thames Valley Police told The Oxford Student: "Our advice to students would be the usual - don't drink too much, and look after yourself and each other."
The incident also casts serious doubt over the effectiveness of the Nightsafe operation recently launched by the police force. The initiative aims to tackle the escalating violence in Oxford, much of it alcohol-related, which has doubled since 1998. Payle's death, one of two suspected murders to occur in Oxford last week, is exactly the sort of episode that the operation aims to thwart.
A spokesman for Thames Valley Police admitted: "Obviously the incident is a set-back to the Nightsafe scheme, as it is something that the initiative hoped to prevent. We are disappointed, and will continue to look for ways to curb similar crime."
Student Union Vice President for Welfare, Nicky Ellis, responded to these concerns, saying: "I went down to the police station after it happened, and they said that although it was an extremely sad incident, it did not involve students and that there was no cause for increased alarm. OUSU takes students' welfare very seriously, and we will do our best to respond to people's concerns."
Colleges appear reluctant to blame the police for recent violent crimes, however. Deputy Bursar of St Peter's College, Mary Anne Piggot, said that although she was "very sad" that such a violent murder had occurred so close to St Peter's, she emphasised: "We have a very good relationship with the police, and appreciate that they have a very hard job."
28th Oct 2004