War hero could leave her Seaforth pub due to gangs

Mar 12 2009 Crosby Herald

War hero faces being forced out of her Seaforth pub by gangs

A WAR hero who saved British soldiers' lives in Basra is being forced out of her Seaforth pub by gangs.

Joanne Rooney's pub, The Seaforth Arms, has been rocked by two burglaries in a week, and cannot survive a third. Intruders inflicted over £3,500 worth of damage when they ransacked the pool table, ran the pumps dry, smashed up the till and stole hundreds of pounds of takings and stock.

Joanne, 36, who served in The Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps from 1991 to 2006, moved in to the pub after leaving the military. The mother of three, who has been decorated for her work in Basra, has been targeted by local criminals since she enforced a zero tolerance drugs policy in her pub.

Joanne initially lived above The Seaforth Arms. However, the family were forced to flee due to threats of arson.

Joanne’s brother, Former Royal Marine Emlyn Williams has helped his sister and been threatened with crow bars and knuckle dusters. He suffered a knife wound to his back in the door way of the pub 18 months ago.

Joanne said:“When I bought the pub, there was a problem with cocaine and pills. I put a stop to it, and forced the bad element out. But ever since I have been targeted. My car was destroyed by vandals. At one point I was forced to keep it on a private drive behind a fence, but the vandals jumped over one night and finished it off.

“I have had bricks thrown through my windows and fires started.

“My family come from the Knowsley Road area in Bootle, and we have always done our best. My brother served in Bosnia with the Royal Marines, and I was with the British Army in Iraq.

“I worked in a trauma team in Basra during the summer of 2005, when the insurgency was raging. I was a target for suicide bombers, and the camp was mortared frequently.

“I have seen teenage soldiers with gun shot wounds to the head and terrible burns. I also treated Iraqi civilians who were caught up in the bombings.

“I have invested all the money I earned during my military career in this pub. We were burgled on February 22 and then again on the 28. One more and I will post the keys back to the brewery.

“I just feel a little let down. I just want to run a community pub. I think that the police could have been a little more supportive, although the community inspector at Marsh Lane has been excellent.

“Running this pub is as stressful as my six month tour of duty in Iraq.

“I am now staying in the pub over night, just to ward off the burglars. It’s such a shame it has come to this.”