Milton Keynes great grandad arrested after trying to save murdered man is still waiting for apology from police

Andrew Anderson was visiting his son on Oxley Park on New Year's Eve 2020 when he saw a young man, later identified as 22-year-old Jefferey Wiafe, lying in the road.

"I could see he was bleeding heavily and in a bad way. My first thought was that he'd been run over and I phoned 999 immediately," he said.

The 999 operator told Good Samaritan Mr Anderson to stay on the line and gave instructions on how to give CPR to keep the young man alive.

When police arrived around 10 minutes later, a relieved Mr Anderson met the police car to guide officers to the young man.

"But they led me away from round the corner. Then one of them said he was arresting me on suspicion of attempted murder and put a pair of handcuffs on me.

"I was so shocked that I had a panic attack and fell into a bush. They had to pull me out. I kept trying to explain but they wouldn't listen."

Mr Anderson, who lives on Stantonbury, was taken to the police station while Mr Wiafe was rushed to hospital. Sadly he died shortly afterwards - and this led to Mr Anderson's nightmare becoming even more surreal.

"At the police station they told me they were no longer arresting me for attempting murder. I was just about to feel relieved, then they told me they were arresting me for murder instead because the poor boy had passed away," he said.

"Suddenly the room started to spin. I thought I must be dreaming because I really didn't know what was happening. I was in shock and trembling from head to foot.

"They locked me in a cell and I had to stay there. It's all a blur after that but I remember after a day or so they bundled me in a van and we had to go to Oxford so they could apply for more time to hold me.

"I lost count of the days after a while. I remember becoming so depressed and frustrated at one stage that I was banging my head against the wall. I just wanted to end it all."

After four days, more interviews and a further extension, Mr Anderson was finally released - on strict bail to report to the police station three times a week while police carried out further investigations.

Finally he was told there would be no charge and no further action. But Mr Anderson, a retired HGV driver who has been married for 30 years, was in no state to celebrate.

He told the Citizen shortly after his release: "I'm a wreck now. The whole thing has had a terrible effect on me. I can't sleep and I'm on antidepressants because I keep getting flashbacks.

"I just don't understand how I ended up being arrested for murder when all I did was try and save a boy's life. I think I'll be too scared to ever help again if I see anybody in trouble."

He asked for an police for an official apology but says it has never happened.

"There's still no apologies from you police for arresting us innocent people trying to help someone fighting for his life, he wrote on social media this week.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said today: "We can confirm that our Professional Standards Department (PSD) received a formal complaint into the circumstances of Mr Anderson’s arrest on 24 January 2020.

"Following a PSD investigation, the force wrote to Mr Anderson on 10 February 2020 explaining to him in detail the reasons for his arrest, concluding that the arrest was lawful and necessary to the investigation. We did acknowledge in our letter to Mr Anderson that his arrest would have been distressing for him, but that it was proportionate to the investigation at the time."

He added: "Mr Anderson was subsequently eliminated from the investigation with no further action to be taken. We did not provide a formal apology, but gave Mr Anderson details on his right to appeal the outcome. We did not receive any such appeal.

"The matter is therefore deemed closed."

Meanwhile, last October, Tyriq Alowooja, 21, from Milton Keynes, was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison for the 'brutal and vicious murder' of Mr Wiafe.

Luton Crown Court heard Mr Wiafe had driven to Oxley Park to collect drugs that were being stored for him in a flat in Carradine Crescent.

While there, he saw Alowooja, and the pair got out of their cars and confronted each other before a fight broke out and Mr Wiafe was stabbed in the chest as well as in each of his thighs and his arm.

Alowooja then went back to the car, as Mr Wiafe staggered away bleeding heavily.

Sentencing Alowooja, Judge Gratwicke said one of the stab wounds was delivered with such force it severed Mr Wiafe's rib before entering his heart.