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Man’s nightmare day at Thorpe Park

Ollie

Ollie

CF Legend
I know every day at Thorpe is a nightmare ( :p ) but thought I might as well share this article.

The Voice said:
A CARE worker attacked by security guards and thrown into a cell for ten hours after a trip to Thorpe Park turned nasty, has pressed charges over his brutal treatment.

Father-of-two Michael Orlebar, of Croydon, claims he was was paraded through the Surrey amusement park in handcuffs on August 15, after he defended a 13-year-old set upon by security guards.

FORCE

Orlebar said he witnessed up to six grown men force the schoolboy he was chaperoning to the ground with their hands around his throat after getting into a row.

When the 31-year-old intervened, he was grabbed from behind and had his face pushed against the pavement while another guard pressed a knee into his back.

Furious at the treatment, Orlebar insisted that the police were called.

But when officers from Surrey police arrived, despite Orlebar’s attempts to share his side of the story he alleges he was referred to as “boy” and told to “save it for the tape.”

He was then hauled into custody.

ANGER: Michael Orlebar says he’s pursuing his case to set an example to youngsters about how to settle disputes

Orlebar, employed by a private youth social care organisation, said: “I teach young people to show respect to the authorities and that situations can be solved through communication and not violence. How do I explain this type of behaviour? Is it any wonder that some young people have no respect for anyone in a uniform? They abuse their power and are so blinded by their own prejudices they cannot treat people fairly. The only thing I could have done to be more accommodating was to kiss their hands and I still ended up in a police cell.”

Orlebar, who has been signed off from work for two weeks because of his injuries, had taken three young people in care to Thorpe Park as a birthday treat.

The trouble started as the boys Orlebar was looking after left a gift shop. A security guard accused one of the young men of stealing a rubber ball which Orlebar claims was completely unfounded.

He said the teenager was simply returning the ball after it had fallen off its display stand near the exit.

Orlebar stepped in to diffuse the situation and the group was let off with a warning that if they caused any more trouble they would be kicked out.

Shortly afterwards, they were stopped again by the same security guard who accused the 13-year-old of “saying something to him” and demanded that they leave Thorpe Park.

Not wanting any further trouble, Orlebar reluctantly agreed, but things kicked off when the 13-year-old asked the security guard why they were being punished when they hadn’t done anything wrong.

WRESTLED

It was at this point, Orlebar alleges, that the youth was grabbed and wrestled to the floor with unnecessary force.

A spokesman for Thorpe Park, who employ the security guards, said: “We are aware of this incident and are concerned about what has happened. A full investigation is underway and appropriate action will be taken where necessary.”

Orlebar was arrested at 4.10pm but was not released until 2.15am in the morning and despite showing signs of injury from Thorpe Park, he claims he was denied medical assistance at Staines police station.

The care worker however says that police have since apologised to him about the arrest and are helping him bring charges against the Thorpe Park security staff.

He said: “The only reason I am going public with this is that too often black people are unfairly treated and keep it to themselves. We need to understand the system and know our rights. I have a responsibility to set an example to the young people I work with that you have to stand up for yourself in the right way. ”
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http://voice-online.co.uk/article/man%E ... horpe-park

I do agree that the security probably used too much force. But then again it's pretty obvious the kid was trying to steal the ball as Im sure the security wouldn't tackle someone to the ground if he was simply picking something off the floor and bringing it back.
 
Im sorry Ollie. I don't care if the kid was trying to steal the ball. The security have no right to treat anyone like that, let alone a 13 year old!

Good on the guy for trying to lead by example and show how things should be dealt with.
 
I've read it through a few times now. It sounds more like the kid got out of control and force had to be used and then for some reason the carer got involved which ended up in him having to be restrained. I reckon the guy has over-exaggerated what kind of force was used to make him seem like the guy that did nothing wrong. I'm sorry but if he did nothing wrong why would the police arrest him?

Mark have you seen some 13 year olds? They don't care about authority whatsoever and that guard wanting to chuck the kid out of the park for “saying something to him” was more like the kid shouting abuse at him.

I suppose we'll never find out but I just the feeling the guy is lying or sugar-coating what really happened to make it sound like Thorpe's security were in the wrong to get petty revenge for chucking them out of the park for poor behaviour.
 
Mark said:
Im sorry Ollie. I don't care if the kid was trying to steal the ball. The security have no right to treat anyone like that, let alone a 13 year old!
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Eh? I said I thought that the security used too much force and I didn't agree with it lol.
 
Ollie said:
But then again it's pretty obvious the kid was trying to steal the ball as Im sure the security wouldn't tackle someone to the ground if he was simply picking something off the floor and bringing it back.
Click to expand...

Sorry, it sounded like you were defending the actions of the guards too... :lol:

The only bit I dont agree with is the guy being race into the equation. I doubt race has anything to do with it and the security are far too heavy handed full stop.

I do wonder if we will ever find out the outcome etc. I shall see if I can find out...
 
Vigilante?

Frankly, if someone is doing something wrong, security have every right to do whatever they see fit for getting them out of the park. Too often security do nothing.

If this guy was just some random guy getting involved. **** him too. You really think he cared about the kid? As if. As actual if. Just wanted some drama.
 
I probably could have worded it better lol. What I was trying to say was that the security wouldn't have done anything if all the kid was doing was returning a ball that fell on the floor. I agree that they used too much force but then I'm sure they wouldn't have approached him for no reason.

And I agree that it's stupid about the guy bringing his race into it all. Has nothing to do with it.
 
Joey said:
Frankly, if someone is doing something wrong, security have every right to do whatever they see fit for getting them out of the park. Too often security do nothing.

If this guy was just some random guy getting involved. **** him too. You really think he cared about the kid? As if. As actual if. Just wanted some drama.
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Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

Besides which, security do not have every right to do whatever they see fit... That is how people get hurt!
A guy recently got killed in a nightclub in Southend by the 4 bouncers who not only were escorting him from the premises but managed to crush his windpipe and damage skull in the process. I don't care what the guy done. He did not deserve to die and either way it is not for security to decide. We have courts of law for that. Whether you think they work or not, that is what they are for.

This is a much smaller scale situation in comparison by my point still stands. I am fed up with Security (and to some extent police too) who think they are above the law and can treat people however the hell they like. They are supposed to be trained to restrain a person in an efficient and swift manner that poses no threat of injury. Not just by being heavy handed.

If I remember correctly Joey, you didnt take too kindly to the member of staff that was being heavy handed with your restraint when they were doing their job in ensuring that you were safely seated on Silver Star... Just because that member of staff was doing his job does that mean he is allowed to do whatever he sees fit too?

Black and White view points again then??
 
Mark said:
Joey said:
Frankly, if someone is doing something wrong, security have every right to do whatever they see fit for getting them out of the park. Too often security do nothing.

If this guy was just some random guy getting involved. **** him too. You really think he cared about the kid? As if. As actual if. Just wanted some drama.
Click to expand...

Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty?

Besides which, security do not have every right to do whatever they see fit... That is how people get hurt!
A guy recently got killed in a nightclub in Southend by the 4 bouncers who not only were escorting him from the premises but managed to crush his windpipe and damage skull in the process. I don't care what the guy done. He did not deserve to die and either way it is not for security to decide. We have courts of law for that. Whether you think they work or not, that is what they are for.

This is a much smaller scale situation in comparison by my point still stands. I am fed up with Security (and to some extent police too) who think they are above the law and can treat people however the hell they like. They are supposed to be trained to restrain a person in an efficient and swift manner that poses no threat of injury. Not just by being heavy handed.

If I remember correctly Joey, you didnt take too kindly to the member of staff that was being heavy handed with your restraint when they were doing their job in ensuring that you were safely seated on Silver Star... Just because that member of staff was doing his job does that mean he is allowed to do whatever he sees fit too?

Black and White view points again then??
Click to expand...
Lets examine what happened.

A man sees some security restraining a boy who more than likely did something wrong otherwise security wouldn't be restraining them.

Said man starts fighting the security.

Both individuals did something wrong.

Usually, security just have a "word" or tell individuals to come with them, and they get away with not doing as they say. Heavy handedness shows that this was quite clearly serious and that security were doing their job. In my eyes, it's much better than the alternative - people getting away with it. Thorpe needs a strong team of security.

I highly doubt that they would have caused the kid any actual physical harm had he just listened to them. The adult had no reason to get involved. If he felt the child was innocent, he could have spoken to security calmly.

The incident at Europa Park involved a member of staff being a dick to me when I was just sitting there confused due to the language barrier. Not anywhere near comparable.

The security I met at Thorpe on my last visit, who followed us into the garden clearly assuming we were going in there to smoke weed, responded well to us and seemed like good people.
 
I'll say it again then. I do not care what the kid or man did or did not do. Security do not, under any circumstances have the right to behave in the way in which has been reported. They are trained to deal with situations in a particular way and this is not it. If the adult in the report is wring or exaggerating, why does the report conclude with the fact the police have since apologised and are now assisting him in his complaint to the park.

If that is the case I doubt the guards will be employed at Thorpe for much longer.

My point about silver star was entirely related. No person in any job has the right to be unnecessarily heavy handed with another person. That ride op had no right behaving the way he did. Just like these guards did not... (based upon what has been reported.) time will tell if we hear anymore on the incident I suppose...
 
What does he have to gain by lying Mark? Oooh I don't know, maybe a bit of money from a newspaper who'll run a juiced up story?

Of course, a troublesome young kid in care will politely turn around and enquire as to why they're being escorted. He wouldn't dream of launching abuse would he?

And the details included are designed to rile emotions, yet from what it sounds like it's just generic methods used to detain somebody without harming both them and yourself; knee in the back, keeps them pinned down and unable to use their arms to attack you.

Completely disagree with your point about "No person in any job has the right to be unnecessarily heavy handed". Who defines what level is necessary? A security guard has every right to defend themselves, and in this instance it just sounds like they've restrained somebody as they're trained to do.

The police have apologised because he didn't recieve treatment and was kept in a cell for ages, without a valid excuse. They're covering their own backs, not apologising on Thorpes behalf.

Oh, then I read that he brought his race into it and completely lost all reliability in the accuracy of his account.
 
the article said:
The care worker however says that police have since apologised to him about the arrest and are helping him bring charges against the Thorpe Park security staff
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They wouldn't be helping him if he was in the wrong.

Smithy, its a local newspaper. Local Newspapers don't tend to pay for stories.

Nevertheless, like I say, it will be interesting to see in which direction this continues and what viewpoint Thorpe have on all this. If they make a statement of course...

On a related note, it is not the first time their methods have been called into question. Whilst I was looking for further information on the event I stumbled across this mixed bag of opinions that have stemed from a complaint in 2009. Thought it was an interesting read either way... http://www.alangandy.com/thorpe-park-security/
 
Yeah, as much as the guy's obviously milking it and being a tool for bringing race into it, this is something that I could perfectly imagine Thorpe's security doing, they're dire and always too hands on.

Having said that, one of them is bear fit and can hit me with his massive truncheon whenever he wants.
 
Talk about another example of Security Guards having a power trip and throwing their weight around. Most Secs are arseholes. FACT!
 
Read the comments at the bottom of this page. Seems like people saw what happened and have now spoken out.

Does sound like its started off ok and got nasty but no one knows what security said to make it kick off.

And yes Joey security can be ok there, they were great on the Saw opening day. But I remember Big John being forced to try and take off his wedding ring for a security check and they would not beleive him when he said it would not come off.

http://voice-online.co.uk/article/man%E ... horpe-park

I did not know this until I just read it on some forms. A security guard cannot actually touch you, they can talk to you etc but not pin you to the floor. The guards at Thorpe actually broke the law. Not sure if someone can confirm this?
 
There are certainly a large number of them that get off on the power trip but I've known a few over the years who have been good guys...
 
I seem to remember that Marc, a security guard can't actually touch you unless there's reasons they think you may hurt him, or other people. You're allowed to use reasonable force to restrain people if they're likely to cause harm.

I think it's exactly the same for everyone to be honest.

In this case, we don't know how aggressive the teen was being, we don't really know much apart from hearsay to be honest. I know I hate the race card being wheeled out, if somebody is a **** teen trouble maker, it doesn't matter what the colour of their skin is, they still need to be brought into line.

Really, can't say much else. Everyone at a theme park has the right to not have their day ruined by either aggressive "yoofs" or aggressive security guards. Sadly, I suspect that they're in a catch 22 there with the guards over-reacting to the youths who are in turn over-reacting to the security. Sadly, then, something like this can easily happen.

I would be very surprised if Thorpe didn't sack the guard and settle out of court to be honest on this one.
 
Without knowing what actually happened it's hard to say who's to blame, but based on my experience watching theme park security deal with incidents at several parks, then hearing the spin that the so-called 'victim' puts on it, I suspect there was a good reason for the security team to use reasonable force.

Remember all Thorpe's security will be SIA licensed and trained to deal with troublemakers. The chain of events looks like it went like this: 1. 13 year old steals ball. 2. Security notice and he puts it back, and is given a warning. 3. Later, he says something abusive to the guard and becomes aggressive. 4. Security restrain him as he is potentially going to turn violent. 5. Adult male jumps in to help 13 year old, security view this as a threat given the situation, so restrain him as well, and he is subsequently arrested.

Perhaps they were slightly heavier than they would have needed to be but in that situation you don't know how strong a person is or if they're armed, so it's better to play it safe and ensure they have no way of attacking you, which is done by restraining them on the floor.

And playing the race card eliminates all credibility of the article.
 
I don't see how the article reporting that the man thinks racial motivation is involved makes it any less credible? It may make the man less credible but it has no relation to the article itself...
 
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