Page 33 of The Mysterious Case of the Alperton Angels
AB:As I said on the phone, I’m writing about the Alperton Angels and understand you were on duty in Willesden when the teenagers and their baby escaped. What happened?
MK:Uh-huh. Well, I was on the overnight shift at the unit. We were almost full and my colleague had rung in sick. I got the call there were two seventeen-year-olds and a baby in need of emergency overnight accommodation. I said we only had one room. It was then sold to me they were a couple and it was their baby, so I said, OK, we’ll work something out just for the night. What was left of it, as it was gone one by then. So they arrive. A woman police officer with these two kids—
AB:Holly and Jonah. What were they like?
MK:Well, for a start those weren’t their real names. The Angels renamed them. That’s what cults do. They erase the old you, along with your friends, family, possessions, life. You’re reborn with the cult as your family. Anyway, I had these two filthy kids on the doorstep with a baby. They didn’t have food, nappies, nothing. I was pretty sure we were completely out ofallbaby things – babies usually go straight to emergency foster families. So that was my initial headache. What am I gonna do with these three until morning? The teenagers had clearly been through some shit, though they were fine physically. I recall asking the officer where their things were, but they didn’t have any.Nothing. We kept a supply of donated clothes, so I was running that through my head. Get them cleaned up, pyjamas, fresh clothes for the morning and into bed.
AB:What was the police officer like?
MK:Nice girl. On her own, though, and shaken from what she’d seen. She left the car engine running, dumped the trio on me, then couldn’t get away fast enough. [Strange, that’s not how the police officer remembers it. EC]
AB:When did Jonah pull the knife out?
MK:Er … he didn’t. Not that I saw.
AB:Really? Didn’t Jonah have a concealed blade and threaten the baby?
MK:No! I’d have remembered that.
AB:Well, Aileen recalls an incident with Jonah as she was leaving. She had to wrestle the blade off him.
MK:Who’s Aileen?
AB:Sergeant Aileen Forsyth. The police officer.
MK:She had a French name, double-barrelled. Marie-Claude or something.
AB:So, she was a woman of colour?
MK:No. White as me!
AB:I spoke to Aileen yesterday. She explained how she collected Holly from the hospital and Jonah from the crime scene and drove them to you in Willesden.
MK:Only one officer came into the unit with the three kids. Maybe this Aileen was in the police car? Don’t know, sorry. But I’d remember if Jonah had done that. [She seems to have a moment of realisation. EC] I bet it happened earlier that evening. They knew I wouldn’t let a violent kid anywhere near the unit, but they wanted him off their hands … After so long they forgot the lies they told. It was a toxic culture at that time. [More bitching about the system. Sister, it was years ago, let it lie. EC]
AB:Did the youngsters settle overnight?
MK:No chance. It weren’t ten minutes between Marie-Claude leaving and police arriving to take the baby.
AB:Police?
MK:Man and a woman. He was white, she was black, if you’re asking.Flashed warrants. The real deal. Asked where the baby was. Marched in, closed the door in my face. Seconds later, walked out with the little ’un. Didn’t say a word. [A sad silence. EC]
AB:How did Holly and Jonah react?
MK:Didn’t sleep a wink. Spent the night staring at each other across the room. They were collected separately the following morning. I never saw either kid again. [You start to wind up the interview, but she interrupts you. EC]
MK:The system was in chaos, so I don’t know if this is relevant. But the social worker who collected Holly the next day was expecting to collect the baby, too. It was news to them it had already been taken away. [Bit strange? EC]
HM PRISON TYNEFIELD
APPLICATION FOR A VISITING ORDER
PRISONER NAME:Gabriel Angelis.
DATE:25 June 2021
YOUR NAME:Amanda Bailey.
