Early hours of Sunday 10th of February a 34-year-old man was attacked in Clacton on Sea Bentley’s club during a fight that broke out in the toilets. This story was later published by many news outlets reaching national news. This story has been published well by different outlets which I think is important as it raises awareness for the dangers of nightlife.
BBC news included graphic images of the victim wound and another picture after he was seen by medics. This is a very powerful way of reporting the news as it shows the reader first-hand how serious this attack was. The BBC’s news report was short as there isn’t much information as of yet. I think although the piece was short it was still a substantial report.
In comparison, the Gazette reported the same incident. In their report they included a secondary source of the marine parade street which isn’t as powerful as the BBC’s images. However, the speech from the police spokesman was an advantage the BBC didn’t include. The information gave detailed descriptions of the suspects which is important to help ongoing investigations especially as the readers of the Gazette are more likely to be local to the area.
During one of our practical journalism classes we were discussing how to conduct the best interview and which elements need to be included. Over the past few weeks we have been given pointers and have looked at the way other interviews have been done.
As an exercise we had to chose a story in the news and conduct an interview on the subject matter.
As I had completed a reflection post on the Clacton belt attack I thought this would be a good place to start.
As I am local to Clacton so I took on the role as the interviewee and Victoria was the interviewer.
Here are the questions me and colleague came up with:
Were you out on the night the attack took place?
Not on that particular night but I heard about it on the radio at work the next day.
Do you think this was a pre-determined attack?
I'm not sure - but if there was a blade on the end of the belt then this suggest that there was a level of intent involved. I don’t know if the victim was planned but I think the event that took place could have been predetermined.
Are cases like this common? Have you seen this happen before?
I have heard of other knife crimes within the Essex area but nothing of this kind. The levels of knife crime in Essex have increased over time which is a problem.
Would you regard Clacton as a safe place for night life?
Everywhere you where there is nightlife there is an element of danger. If you are going out for the night to a club scene then you should think about the potential dangers you might face and take particular care. This happens everywhere not just Clacton.
Does this put you off going out in Clacton and the surrounding areas?
It does make me aware of the potential dangers, but it doesn’t necessarily stop me from going out but it does concern me slightly. Moreover, the people that committed this offence are of my age group which adds to my concern.
What actions should the company and other night clubs take to prevent this from happening again?
Extra security when entering the building and maybe someone overseeing the closed of areas such as toilets, this is not the first attack that has happened in club toilets and other closed premises.
Do you think there should be more awareness regarding the dangers of night clubs?
I think more awareness would be beneficial to people who are planning on going out. Especially 18 year olds that haven't experienced the night life before. Talks could be held at educational organisations in order to educate people on what to do if they feel endangered or uncomfortable in any situation.