Police support for Leighton Buzzard vicar targeted by vandals and anti-social behaviour

The vicarage was “bamboozled by youngsters throwing eggs and lemonade bottles at the front door and windows” over a six-day period, the vicar of All Saints Church the Reverend Prebendary David MacGeoch told a Central Bedfordshire Council Leighton-Linslade partnership committee meeting earlier this year.

“Some youths even threw a lemonade bottle at my wife and I,” he revealed in March. “The abuse is horrendous. I live as a frightened priest and I think that’s totally wrong. It’s a community problem and tends to peak during holidays.”

The committee agreed its chairman and Leighton Linslade South councillor Chris Leaman should write to the Bedfordshire Police Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst.

Councillor Leaman, who chairs the committee, confirmed at its latest meeting that he sent the letter, saying: “You won’t be surprised to hear the police are very much aware of this case.

“The county force is working with the vicarage, including an introduction to its designing out crime team as well. They’re making progress identifying some of the individuals responsible.”

The side gate to Pulford Road was kicked at least a dozen times, the Reverend Prebendary MacGeoch had explained at the previous committee meeting, while the front doors of the cottages opposite the vicarage were broken.

Councillor Leaman sympathised, saying: “I’m sure all of us are horrified by what’s going on. We’ve all seen something similar or are aware of victims.”

In the latest incident, last month, three teenagers are believed to have kicked in a front door panel of the vicarage in the early hours of the morning.

Sergeant Amy Rankin, from the Leighton Buzzard Community Team, said at the time the force was aware of anti-social behaviour and vandalism issues at the church, and was committed to tackling them.