THE auntie of a man who sustained fatal injuries in a Sedgley alleyway has made a passionate plea to Dudley councillors to step up safety measures in the area.

Shane Watson, aged 23, was found with serious head injuries in the alleyway in Springfield Grove in the early hours of July 28. He later died after being transferred to hospital.

Following his death thousands of residents attended a PACT meeting and signed a petition calling for the right-of-way to be permanently closed off, which has since been submitted to Dudley Council.

Council workers have already begun cutting back trees in the alley to improve lighting, but Shane’s devastated family argue the work is not enough.

At a recent meeting of Full Council, Pat Butler, Shane’s aunt, made a tearful plea to councillors calling for its closure.
 

She said: “It goes into a curve where Shane was attacked, we want it straightened out so we can see right to the end.
“There are drug users and fly tippers, we have motorbikes coming up there day and night. That alleyway is what murdered Shane.
“We have noticed they have started to cut trees back - a tree was cut back and we didn't even know there was a lamp underneath it.
"We want bollards put up. If it was up to us we would like it closed completely as since this happened to Shane not many people use it."

Councillor Judy Foster, cabinet member for community safety, told the meeting letters had been sent out to householders in the area and the council was waiting for responses before taking further action.

Student, James Robert Cartwright, aged 18, of Sandyfields Road, Sedgley and retail worker, Shylon Mark Wishart, aged 19, of North Springfields, Sedgley have both been charged with Shane’s murder.
They are expected to stand trial in April next year.