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From bad to worse in Newton Community advocates want answers from Watts after woman is savagely beaten outside hockey arena READ LATEST DEVELOPMENTS WITH LAYAR Amy Reid Now staff Twitter @amyreid87
EDITOR’S NOTE: For the most up-to-date information on this story, scan this page with your free Layar app or visit the Now online at thenownewspaper.com. NEWTON — The community of Newton Town Centre is asking questions about why nothing has been done to combat the area’s crime. Doug Elford, with the Newton Community Association, said Sunday night’s violent attack on a woman outside the hockey arena crossed a line. “Attacking a hockey mom in a parking lot for her purse? It’s an indication there’s some real problems in this neighbourhood. We’re outraged; we want it to stop now... Our women are afraid to walk at night and that is a real concern of ours,” Elford said Monday. “I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: We need more police on the street. And a different methodology on policing possibly, where they’re on their feet, they’re on their bikes, the presence is there.” Elford said it’s a difficult issue because police resources are lacking. “We have crime, we have prostitution, we’ve had it for a long time. We’ve vented to council, it seems like they’re not listening to us. We need them to listen to us.”
Surrey police comb the parking lot of the Newton recreation centre Monday morning after a brutal attack. (Photo: AMY REID) The 53-year-old Surrey resident suffered serious injuries outside the Newton Arena, and as of press time on Monday afternoon, she was not expected to survive. If confirmed as a homicide, this would be Surrey’s 25th murder of 2013. The previous record was 21, set in 2005. On Monday, IHIT took over the investigation and said the attack appeared to be unprovoked and random, with possible motive being robbery. Jude Hannah, founder of ReNewton, a
group fighting to revitalize the Newton Town Centre, said she felt sick to her stomach after learning about the incident. “She was just going about her business and being a good parent. And as far as I know, it’s a completely innocent and random attack... Our hearts and our thoughts go out to this woman and her family. It’s just incredibly sad.” Hannah said this is what she’s been trying to prevent through her activism for Newton. “We have been calling on the city to
take action and this is absolutely the worst nightmare. And I feel so upset, I feel so angry, I’m so disappointed... This was what we feared would happen, and we warned them,” she said. “I hate to say blood on their hands... but that’s what people have said. This is just shameful.” She wants to hear from Mayor Dianne Watts on the matter. see NEWTON › page 5