AN East of England shopworker is abused, threatened or assaulted over 19 times a year on average – Usdaw calls on the Government to act

Shopworker’s trade union Usdaw has today released shocking statistics from their annual survey which shows that on average East of England shopworkers were verbally abused, threatened or assaulted 19 times last year, which is more than once every three weeks.

Whilst not all shopworkers suffer to this extent, some experience much higher levels of abuse, threats and violence. Usdaw’s Freedom From Fear Survey shows that during 2018:
62% of East of England shopworkers experienced verbal abuse,

37% were threatened by a customer with 28 assaulted every day.

The Government has opened a ‘call for evidence’ on this growing issue, following pressure from Usdaw, employers like the Co-op and retailers’ representative organisations like the Association of Convenience Stores, British Retail Consortium and National Federation of Retail Newsagents. The Government is seeking the views of organisations and individuals who wish to contribute to their understanding of the problem of violence and abuse toward shop staff in England and Wales.

This consultation closes at 11pm on 28 June 2019 and submissions can be made online at: www.homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk/s/PVAUE/

Usdaw is running their own survey, which will feed into the Home Office ‘call for evidence’ and can be completed at: www.usdaw.org.uk/respectsurvey

Paddy Lillis – Usdaw General Secretary says: “Violence, threats and abuse against workers are amongst the great scourges of our society. The statistics are shocking and show that urgent action is required. On average an East of England shopworker can end up on the wrong side of a verbal or physical assault more than once every three weeks. Our message is clear, abuse is not a part of the job.

“Life on the frontline of retail can be pretty tough for many shopworkers and there is still a lot to do to help protect them. We launched our Freedom From Fear Campaign in the face of growing concerns amongst retail staff about violence, threats and abuse. The campaign works with employers to promote respect and make shops safer for staff and customers alike.

“So there needs to be action to help protect staff. We want the Government to provide stiffer penalties for those who assault workers; a simple stand-alone offence that is widely recognised and understood by the public, police, CPS, the judiciary and most importantly criminals.

“Usdaw welcomes the Government opening a ‘call for evidence’ and we encourage everyone concerned with this issue to make their voices heard by contributing to the Home Office online consultation or visiting the Usdaw website to complete our survey, which we will submit to the Government.

“Retail staff have a crucial role in our communities and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law.”

Voices from the East of England frontline: As part of Usdaw’s survey of violence, threats and abuse against shopworkers, respondents have the opportunity to feed back their experiences, here are some examples from the East of England:

Kings Lynn: “I refused to sell a tin of spray glue to a man I believed to be under 18 years old so he threw it at me”
Chelmsford: “Usually abuse from customers, when not enough staff in place, threatening behaviour usually from drunks and shoplifters.”
Spalding: “Customers throwing food back at us on the deli counter. Swearing at us, telling us we don’t know how to do our job.”
Harlow: “Customer asked to leave store because of behaviour. I was escorting him out, he carried on being abusive, threatened to assault me if he saw me outside and shoved me as we walked towards exit. The police were called.”
Hatfield: “Customers not being polite and having a rant for missing or substituted items.”
Cambridge: “Abuse mainly happens when refusing to serve intoxicated customers alcohol or stealing.”
Ipswich: “Experienced a very rude customer when deliveries were short after snow last year, I was poked in the arm by a customer.”
Norwich: “Hairdryer thrown at me. Foul language.”
Colchester: “Assaulted by a drunk customer, myself and two others, he got two months for each assault totalling six months.”

The post Unions call on government to act over shop worker assaults appeared first on Your Thurrock.

ESSEX Police has arrested a man in connection with our ongoing investigation into the disappearance of 27-year-old Valentin Kachanov from West Thurrock.

The 22-year-old man from Grays was arrested on Monday 29 April on suspicion of murder and released on bail until Thursday 23 May.

Valentin was last seen on Friday 8 February and was at the intu Lakeside shopping centre at 10am.

Enquiries remain ongoing to establish his movements after this point. He was last in contact with his family in Bulgaria via a phone call at 7.40pm.

He has not been in contact with anyone since.

Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore said: “It is absolutely out of character for Valentin to not contact his family for such a long period of time and although I remain open minded I am now treating his disappearance as a murder enquiry.

“We’re continuing to try and build a picture of the circumstances and reasons for his disappearance, and are carrying out extensive enquiries to help us find out what has happened to him.

“Clearly, we and his family are extremely concerned and we continue to ask for anyone with information to get in touch, as the smallest piece of information could be vital.”

We are also keen to speak to anyone with dash cam or CCTV footage taken on London Road between 6pm and 9pm on the evening of Friday 8 February.

Call the North Major Crime team on 101 or email scd.appeals.essex@essex.pnn.police.uk

Alternatively, contact the Crimestoppers charity 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org

The post Grays man arrested on suspicion of murder after West Thurrock man disappears appeared first on Your Thurrock.

THURROCK Council continues to take action on littering throughout the borough after three litter offenders were forced to pay more than £1,000 between them.

On Monday 29 April, three people were prosecuted and found guilty of littering offences in Thurrock, given a criminal record and ordered to pay a fine and costs at Basildon Magistrates Court. All three had been previously issued a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) by enforcement officers.

Anyone who commits littering and dog fouling offences, including not disposing of cigarette stubs properly, in Thurrock can receive a £150 fine. Those who do not pay the £150 fine will face prosecution.

The names of those prosecuted are:

Lisa Sanders of Parsonage Road, Grays, – fine £150; costs £250; victim surcharge £30; total £430

Joseph Ogidan of Oakhill Road, Purfleet, – fine £100; costs £125; victim surcharge £30; total £255

Rachel Eades of Harrap Chase, Grays, – fine £150; costs £250; victim surcharge £30; total £430

Between April 2018 and March 2019, the number of FPNs issued for littering, dropping cigarettes butts and various forms of anti-social behaviour was 4,062. The number of above FPNs paid was 2,252.

For more information, go to thurrock.gov.uk/litter

The post Thurrock Council continue to get tough on litter louts appeared first on Your Thurrock.

By Local Democracy Reporter
Piers Meyler

ESSEX has seen one of the highest increases in the number of children in need of care due to gangs.

Only Kent has seen a larger real increase in the number of children whose safety and wellbeing is threatened by gang culture among county councils – even though its percentage increase between 2017 and 2018 is lower.

The numbers follow concerns among many in social services and youth offending teams that drug gangs are posing a significant risk to young people in Essex.

In response some £500,000 of extra funding to tackle so-called county lines gangs has been allocated.

Conservative council leader David Finch says county lines drugs gangs are “a real and present danger to communities up and down our county”.

County lines sees urban gangs from larger cities use mobile phones in a different area to sell crack cocaine and heroin directly at street level.

“Our Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Roger Hirst has identified this as a priority,” said Cllr Finch.

“With our responsibility for the wider wellbeing of all our communities, we are making £500,000 available for partnership working to protect young people at risk from those who might exploit them.”

With an increase in the number of children in need due to gangs of 83 per cent, the other main areas outside Kent which have seen larger increases were the metroplotican centres of Manchester, Sheffield, Birmingham and London.

Last year 1,000 people were arrested in connection with county lines, with Essex Police admitting it not making a discernible difference.

Of the 2,000 lines operating nationally, it is so named due to a single telephone used to order drugs – 134 are in Essex.

County line networks are having a massive impact on rural counties.

Vulnerable children and adults are being recruited in large cities to transport cash and drugs all over the country.

This keeps the true criminals behind it detached from the act and less likely to be detected or caught.

These gangs often set up a base in a rural area for a short time, taking over the home of a vulnerable person, also known as ‘cuckooing’.

They then use adults and children to act as drug runners.

Tanya Gillett, head of the Youth Offending Service in Essex, which at any one times works with about 450 young people, of which 60 per cent are connected to county lines, told Essex county councillors in February that many young people are lost in the system.

She added that there is a pressing need to share intelligence on use of supported independent accommodation (SIA’s), which she said is currently an area of concern.

At least 16 plus young people in Essex known to the YOS are placed in these units, but the actual number may be much higher.

Categories: Crime
Locations:

The post Essex sees one of the highest increases in the number of children in need of care due to gangs. appeared first on Your Thurrock.

By Local Democracy Reporter
Piers Meyler

JUST three districts in Essex have publicly funded housing legal advice, according to new figures from the Law Society, which it says reveals catastrophic ‘legal aid deserts’.

Harlow and Southend each have one provider offering housing legal aid – offered by Harlow & West Essex Law Centre and Southend-On-Sea Guild Of Help & Citizens Advice Bureau.

Grays has two providers – Kingsville Law Solicitors and Sternberg Reed Solicitors.

Sue Jones from Harlow & West Essex Law Centre said that the service gets queries mostly on issues surrounding homelessness – though there can be queries surrounding domestic violence and rent arrears – from people as far away as Cambridge and Suffolk.

She said: “The reason that most law firms don’t tender for legal aid is because it’s not very well paid so they find it difficult to cover costs.”

She added: “The first year can be difficult because you don’t get paid unil you close a case.”

“People facing homelessness or trying to challenge a rogue landlord increasingly can’t get the expert legal advice they desperately need,” Law Society president Christina Blacklaws said.

“More than 21 million people live in a local authority without a single housing legal aid service, leaving pensioners, families with young children, people with disabilities or on low incomes struggling to access the legal advice they are entitled to when they are at their most vulnerable.

“Anyone trying to resolve a serious housing problem is likely to need face-to-face professional advice urgently – if the nearest legal aid solicitor is in the next county they might as well be on Mars.”

Having just one housing legal aid provider in a large area can result in a range of problems. Anyone on an income low enough to qualify for legal aid, let alone in rent arrears, is unlikely to be able to afford to travel a great distance to see a solicitor.

Working people, families and anyone with dependants, may have serious logistical challenges if they have to travel across a county to find a provider, particularly in rural areas with patchy public transport.

One firm covering a large area may not have capacity to provide advice to all those who need it.

A single provider may have to decline clients due to a conflict of interest, because one law firm cannot represent both a tenant and their landlord.

A conflict can also arise if the firm has been acting for the landlord on another issue, such as a family matter. This would mean the firm would not be able to act for the tenant.

The fees government pays for legal aid provision have not increased since 1998-99, equating to a 41 per cent real-terms reduction. On top of this, fees were cut by a further 10 per cent in 2011.

Catastrophically low rates of pay are forcing legal professionals across the country to withdraw from providing legal aid, as the work is not economically viable for small businesses like solicitor firms.

“Homelessness is devastating for anyone who experiences or is at risk of it,” Ms Blacklaws said.

“There is no longer legal aid for early advice, meaning many people can only get help when their situation is critical.

“The only housing issues still in scope are homelessness, harassment, eviction due to rent arrears and disrepair that is so bad it is hazardous to occupants’ health.

“The government must ensure everyone who has a right to state-funded legal advice can actually get it when they so desperately need it. Legal rights are meaningless if people can’t enforce them.”

The post Pockets of legal aid “deserts” in areas appeared first on Your Thurrock.

A MAN is due in court today, Saturday, May 4, charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker in Tilbury.

Zach McCarthy, 23, of Tennyson Walk, Tilbury, has been remanded to appear at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.

After executing a warrant at an address in Moore Avenue at around 7.30am on Thursday, May 2, an officer reported sustaining assault injuries to his face after chasing a man.

The post Tilbury man in court over police assault charge appeared first on Your Thurrock.

ESSEX Police are appealing for information following a robbery in Tilbury where a man was threatened with a hammer and forced to withdraw cash.

The 21-year-old victim was walking near to Post Office in Civic Square when he was grabbed by a man shortly after midnight today, Saturday, May 4.

The suspect told the man to act normally and withdraw money from a nearby cash machine.

The victim withdrew a three-figure sum and was then hit in the stomach with the hammer.

He described seeing his attacker running off with two other people.

One of the men wore a grey hoodie, a blue body warmer, jogging bottoms and dark trainers. He was described as having a beard.

Essex Police carried out a search in the area to locate the men without success.

Anyone with information is asked to call Grays CID on 101 quoting crime reference 42/69343/19 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The post Tilbury: Man robbed and attacked with hammer appeared first on Your Thurrock.

MORE than £5m in unpaid tax has been recovered from hundreds of dog breeders and traders selling puppies on the black market reports the BBC.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched an investigation in 2015 after animal welfare groups expressed concerns puppies were being reared on a mass scale and sold illicitly in the UK.

It has recovered a total of £5,393,035 in lost taxes from 257 separate cases.

Among those HMRC said were targeted by its special taskforce were two unconnected puppy breeders in the West of Scotland who were handed tax bills of £425,000 and £337,000.

A former Crufts judge breeding puppies in the Midlands was found to owe £185,000 in unpaid taxes, according to the government agency.

A dealer in Northern Ireland was told to pay £185,000 in tax while a Somerset breeder was given a £114,000 bill, and a puppy breeder in Swansea was handed a £110,000 tax bill, it said.

Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Mel Stride, said: “It is utterly appalling that anyone would want to treat puppies in such an inhumane way and on such a scale.

“It’s also deeply unfair to all of the legitimate businesses who do pay the right tax, and the total recovered by the taskforce is equivalent to the annual salaries for more than 200 newly qualified teachers.

“We continue to work hard with other government agencies and our partners to tackle these traders.”

HMRC is also involved in a multi-agency collaboration across the UK and Ireland called Operation Delphin, which is designed to tackle illegal puppy smuggling and its consequences.

It is led by the Scottish SPCA and includes partners such as the RSPCA, Ulster SPCA, Dublin SPCA, Irish SPCA, HMRC, Border Force, and the police.
Rescued puppiesImage copyrightHMRC

As part of Operation Delphin’s activities, the SSPCA said it had seized 27 puppies smuggled from Ireland at Cairnryan Port in Dumfries and Galloway.

The RSPCA said it had intercepted 96 puppies being smuggled into the UK overnight through Holyhead Port in Wales, in a shipment it said was likely to have been worth “many tens of thousands in murky profits”.

Claire Lawson, from the RSCPA, said: “Sadly, people are readily prepared to act illegally and compromise the welfare of defenceless animals to make profit.
“That’s why the work of the HMRC taskforce in tackling dishonest dog breeding practices is so important.

“Puppy breeding can be big business, and those seeking to sacrifice their welfare to make more money need to know that this behaviour will not be tolerated, and they will punished.”

The post Tax-dodging puppy farmers targeted in HMRC operation appeared first on Your Thurrock.

INSPECTORS judged that Essex Police is ‘good’ at effectively reducing crime and keeping people safe, ‘good’ at operating efficiently and providing sustainable services to the public, and ‘good’ in the way it treats the public and its workforce.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Zoe Billingham said she was pleased with the positive performance of Essex Police, but said it has more to do to root out corruption.

She said: “It is good at investigating crime and has continued to improve how it identifies and protects vulnerable people. It does this through more effective joint working with partners and greater use of protective powers.

“Essex Police is ambitious in its planning for the future and wants to be at the forefront of innovative practice. The force understands its demand well. It uses this information to develop robust financial and workforce plans to make sure it uses its resources as efficiently as possible.

“The force continues to uphold an ethical culture and promote standards of professional behaviour well. But it has more to do to assure itself that it has the capacity and capability to root out corruption.

“Overall, I commend Essex Police for sustaining its positive performance over the past year.”

The report highlights that the force failed to meet a national deadline for vetting its workforce and needs to “improve how it ensures its workforce behaves ethically and lawfully”.

The report stated:

<strong>Areas for improvement</strong>

• The force should ensure all officers and staff have at least the lowest level of vetting clearance for their roles and clear any backlogs, so it complies fully with the national vetting guidelines.
• The force should ensure that its counter-corruption unit:
• has enough capability and capacity to counter corruption effectively and
proactively;
• can fully monitor all of its computer systems, including mobile data, to proactively identify data breaches, protect the force’s data and identify computer misuse; and
• builds effective relationships with individuals and organisations that support and work with vulnerable people.

But inspectors have been reassured that the backlog will be completed by the end of spring this year and the force is increasing the number of staff in its anti-corruption intelligence unit.

Responding to the report, Chief Constable BJ Harrington said: “I am pleased that Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) recognise the hard work and commitment of my officers and staff, in particular praising the work we are doing around protecting vulnerable people, preventing crime and our service to victims.

“HMICFRS inspected Essex Police in September last year and we have not waited for the report to put into place action to improve where they identified areas where we could do better. In particular a lot of work has already been done in areas such as how we investigate crime, however, we continuously review and improve how we work and have established further measures since the inspection was held.

“The demands on our force have been challenging; they are increasing and changing, but we will always strive to give the best possible service to our communities and I am pleased that the report recognises this.”

Roger Hirst, police, fire and crime commissioner for Essex, added: “This is a very positive independent assessment and is a credit to the hard work and dedication of all of the officers and staff at Essex Police.

“In terms of outcomes for the public, while good progress is being made, we know that there is still significant work to do to reduce overall crime in particular to tackle violent crime and crack down on gangs.”

The full report can be found here

<a href=”https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/wp-content/uploads/peel-assessment-2018-19-essex.pdf”>https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/wp-content/uploads/peel-assessment-2018-19-essex.pdf</a>

The post Essex Police told to improve anti-corruption appeared first on Your Thurrock.

THREE people have been charged following an incident in which officers had petrol thrown over them in Ward Close, Basildon yesterday, Sunday, May 5.

Justin Jackson, 28, of Ward Close, Basildon, has been charged with seven counts of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. He is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court tomorrow, Tuesday 7 May.

A 17-year-old boy from Basildon – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – has been charged with dangerous driving, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving without insurance, theft of a motor vehicle and two counts of handling stolen goods. He is also due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court tomorrow.

Janine Justin, 47, of Ward Close, Basildon, was charged with possession of an offensive weapon and is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 30 May.

A 17-year-old girl from Corringham was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, a 20-year-old woman from Basildon was arrested on suspicion of obstructing a police officer and a 30-year-old man from Basildon was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. They have all been released under investigation while enquiries continue.

Anyone with information is asked to call Basildon CID on 101. Alternatively, contact the Crimestoppers charity 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form at Crimestoppers-uk.org

The post Corringham teenager arrested after police officers have petrol thrown over them appeared first on Your Thurrock.

Do you know where Ben Ryan is?

HE is wanted for a domestic abuse offence and for breaching his bail conditions.

Ryan, 27, is known to frequent Chelmsford and Brentwood, as well as Grays, Tilbury, and other areas of Thurrock.

He is described as being 5ft 6ins tall and of slim build.

He has short dark hair, brown eyes and slight scarring to the top of his lip.

He has the word ‘mum’ tattooed on his wrist and the name ‘Connie’ tattooed on his arm.

Ryan was last known to be working as a scrap metal dealer.

Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call us on 101 quoting reference 42/59812/19.

You can also speak to Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111 or submit information through their website.

The post Wanted man may be in Thurrock appeared first on Your Thurrock.

A JET skier who flouted speed limit and safety rules on the tidal Thames has been fined, following a successful prosecution by the Port of London Authority.

Kestutis Abramavicius, 36, was captured on video (by a member of the public) as he sped along the river near Benfleet Creek, Canvey Island, Essex.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how the offence took place in October last year. Abramavicius, of Dukes Avenue, Grays, admitted “navigation without due care and attention” under Section 108 of the Port of London Act. He was fined £750 and ordered to pay costs of more than £3,000.

The court was told that there is an eight-knot speed limit throughout the Canvey Island area, which is in place to protect river users and the environment.

He was identified with the help of Essex Police by the checking of launching records at a local slipway which matched the description of his distinctively coloured jet ski.

Benfleet Creek is an environmentally protected area for its habitats and vegetation. Wash generated by the jet ski had the potential to affect this sensitive environment, the court was told yesterday (Wednesday 8 May).

The prosecution comes in the wake of a similar incident, where Lee Martin, 31, from Gravesend, was last month fined £2,750 and ordered to pay costs of more than £3,500 for ignoring a ban on jet skiing on the river in central London.

After the hearing, PLA chief harbour master Bob Baker said: “We think this prosecution, following on from last month’s jet ski case, will again serve as a warning to river users. If you break the rules, we will take action.

“We are also very grateful to the member of the public who recorded the offender committing the offence. Their help was vital to this prosecution and it demonstrates just how concerned people are about safety on the river and its environment.”

The post Grays jet-skier fined for speeding and safety offences appeared first on Your Thurrock.

A GRAYS man has been charged with the theft of a bicycle and US dollars.

Dylan Coster, aged 19, of Springfield Road, Grays has been charged with the following.

Between 04/06/2018 and 21/07/2018 at Grays stole a specialised bicycle, $780 US Dollars, £70.00 sterling cash, to the value of £1670.00, belonging to another.

Coster has been remanded on bail.

The post Grays man charged with stealing expensive bicycle appeared first on Your Thurrock.

Staff and pupils devastated as thieves wreck brand new school

STAFF and pupils at the Tilbury Pioneer Academy were stunned to return from the bank holiday to find that, only two weeks after opening their new building, thieves had broken into it to steal the copper piping from the heating system. Fortunately they were disturbed as the school’s cleaners arrived to open the building, fleeing only with a small amount of copper. Police have attended the scene to take finger prints from the tools that were discarded in their haste to leave and to review the CCTV footage.

Pupils were understandably distressed and disappointed as this is the third time within a year the Pioneer has affected. One Year 5 pupil summed up the feelings of all staff and pupils when she said ‘I just don’t understand why someone would do this. We are so lucky to have our new building, it’s so brilliant, why would anyone do such a horrible thing?

Kevin Sadler, the CEO of the Gateway Learning Community Trust that runs Pioneer, said ‘I’m absolutely gutted. Our pupils and staff have coped brilliantly for years with a building constructed in the 1920’s that was only supposed to last 20 years. Within two weeks of the opening of the first phase of a complete rebuild of this school this happens.

“Who would do this to children? I wish whoever did this could come and spend a day in this brilliant school where everyone is working so hard to provide the best for the children in our community. How can people be so selfish? This is a massive disappointment for everyone in the local community working to address the tired old stereotype of Tilbury and to improve its profile locally and nationally. Tilbury is a great place with the most amazing people. I would ask that we continue to come together to express our revulsion’.

The post Tilbury Pioneer Academy: Staff and pupils devastated as thieves wreck brand new school appeared first on Your Thurrock.

DO you know somebody in your community who goes the extra mile to support vulnerable people, prevent crime and make their communities safer? If so, then why not nominate them for a Community Safety Award, organised by the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex. The process is simple to complete with the winners recognised at the PFCC Annual Conference. This event takes place on Friday, June 7th at Colchester United Football Stadium.

Last year’s Community Safety Hero was Steve Wood, who is the Criminal Justice and Welfare Manager for Open Road. Steve manages the Chelmsford and Colchester SOS Buses, the Essex Appropriate Adults Service and the Community Rehabilitation Company’s Women’s Project.

As well as receiving the coveted Community Safety shield which took pride of place in the Open Road office for the past 12 months, Steve was given £500 from the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner to go towards his work in the community. Steve used the money to go towards vital first aid training for 12 new volunteers for the SOS buses.

Steve said: “Just to be nominated for this award, let alone win was a great achievement. I was so chuffed. I would urged anybody thinking about nominating somebody just to do it! It is an extremely positive thing to do for someone.”

The winner will receive £500 to go towards their work in the community and two runners’ up or highly commended winners will also receive £300. There will also be a chance for the people of Essex to vote for the winner of a People’s Choice category from a shortlist of entrants selected by the judging panel. The People’s Choice winner will receive £100.

This year we have a new category for young people open to anybody aged up to and including 24-years-old. The winner of this award will receive £300 to go towards their work in the community.

To win an award, you have to demonstrate that the nominee is an exceptional person or group that have gone above and beyond to keep their community safe. They also have to have delivered a project or scheme that has improved the safety of those around them.
Nominees can be volunteers or those who work in a professional capacity, delivering a service to the public to keep people safe, prevent crime and protect the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Pippa Brent-Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, said: “Each and every day people across Essex go out of their way to make a positive contribution to their communities, whether that is through supporting vulnerable people, helping to prevent crime or making our communities safer. These awards recognise those unsung heroes. If you know somebody who really does make a difference please do nominate them and help get their great work in the spotlight.”

Full details of how to nominate are on the Essex PFCC website
Find out more here: https://www.essex.pfcc.police.uk/news/pfcc-community-safety-awards/

The deadline for nominations is midnight on Sunday, May 12th.

Nominations are open to individuals and teams from across the statutory, community, voluntary and business sectors, where an outstanding contribution has been made to improve community safety, prevent crime or protect vulnerable people. Nominations can be submitted by anyone who has benefited from or witnessed the efforts of the nominees and their work, including managers, colleagues, or members of the public.

The post Essex Police: Do you know a community hero? appeared first on Your Thurrock.

A GRAYS man has pleaded guilty to breaking into a dental surgery in Grays.

Steven Scutt, aged 42, of Hathaway Road, Grays pled guilty to the following.

Between 05/05/2018 and 08/05/2018 at Grays entered as a trespasser a building, namely ICE WHITE DENTAL SURGERY, ORSETT ROAD, GRAYS, stole therein cash to the value of £280.

Scutt has been remanded on bail until May 25th at Basildon magistrates court.

The post Grays man pleads guilty into breaking into dental surgery appeared first on Your Thurrock.

SIX men were arrested this week on suspicion of sexual offences in connection with separate investigations in west Essex.

These were:

A 66-year-old man from Harlow was arrested yesterday, Thursday 9 May, on suspicion of sexually assaulting a girl. The offence was alleged to have happened between July 2014 and September 2015 in Harlow and was reported in December 2018.

A 27-year-old man from Grays was arrested on Tuesday 7 May after a woman reported she was assaulted earlier that day and had been raped a number of times over a two year period. He was arrested on suspicion of rape and assault.

A 38-year-old man from Grays was arrested on Tuesday 7 May on suspicion of rape, administering a substance with intent to commit a sexual offence, assault, grievous bodily harm and false imprisonment between May 4 and 7.

A 43-year-old man from Felixstowe was arrested on Wednesday 8 May on suspicion of raping a woman in Brentwood between January 2017 and November 2018. The offence was reported on March 18.

A 29-year-old man of no fixed address was arrested after officers stopped a Volkswagen Touran on the A1089 in Tilbury yesterday, Thursday 9 May. He was arrested on suspicion of raping a woman in Stanford-le-Hope between September 2017 and April 2019 and assaulting her. He was also arrested on suspicion of possession of drugs and driving without insurance.

A 20-year-old man from Purfleet was arrested on Wednesday 8 May on suspicion of raping a woman in Purfleet on April 26. He was also arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after he ran from an officer and jumped over a fence, which broke, and possession of drugs with intent to supply, after he was found with suspected cannabis.

Detective Chief Inspector Natalia Ross said: “Our dedicated team of specialist officers investigate some of the most traumatic crimes involving the most vulnerable of victims, such as sexual offences and domestic abuse.

“We do everything we can to pursue and bring offenders to justice, and we supported this ongoing work this week by working with our operational support group and local policing colleagues to search for outstanding suspects.

“We urge victims to not suffer in silence and to report offences to us so that we can investigate and ensure they receive support. However we also understand some may not want to contact the police, so we encourage them to tell someone, whether that’s a close friend or relative, or one of a number of organisations who can provide support and advice.”

For more information, visit https://www.essex.police.uk/advice

Five suspects have been released on conditional bail and the 66-year-old man has been released under investigation while our enquiries continue. In each of the cases, the victims and suspects are known to each other.

The post Thurrock men arrested on suspicion of sexual assault as part of county wide investigations appeared first on Your Thurrock.

A TILBURY teenager has been fined for contravening a criminal behaviour order.

Rasharn Justin Forde-Rampton, aged 18, of Spencer Walk, Tilbury pled guilty to the following.

On 08/04/2019 at Tilbury, without reasonable excuse, associated with Carlito Hall, which you were prohibited from doing by a criminal behaviour order made by Essex Magistrates Court on 08/01/2019.

On 18/04/2019 at Tilbury, without reasonable excuse, Had in his possession 2 x mobile phones with Sim Cards that were not disclosed with Essex Police which you were prohibited from doing by a criminal behaviour order made by Essex Magistrates Court on 08/01/2019

Community order made. The defendant must comply with the following requirements by 19/04/2020: Unpaid Work Requirement: Carry out unpaid work for 150 hours within the next twelve months. This work will be supervised by the responsible officer.

He was made subject to a community order. He must carry out unpaid work for 150 hours within the next twelve months.

The post Tilbury teenager fined for associating with Carlito Hall appeared first on Your Thurrock.

ESSEX Police is appealing for witnesses following a serious assault in Grays.

A group of teenagers are alleged to have broken into a van in London Road, near Jay’s Convenience Store, at around 8.35pm last night, May 12.

A man in his 40s confronted them and was assaulted, leaving him with a serious head injury. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

The boys then left the scene in a green Jaguar.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Grays CID on 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/74461/19.

Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The post Man left with serious head injury after attack by gang of youths appeared first on Your Thurrock.

THREE teenagers have been arrested in connection with robberies in Grays and South Ockendon.

Officers are investigating two incidents on Monday, May 6 in which a 16-year-old boy was threatened with a knife and robbed of his mobile phone in Arcany Road, South Ockendon, and a 32-year-old man was assaulted in Arterial Road, Grays, and attempts were made to steal his bag.

They are being linked to another incident in which a 17-year-old boy was assaulted, threatened with a knife and robbed of his mobile phone in Garron Lane, South Ockendon, on Wednesday, May 8.

Officers attempted to stop a Ford Fusion in Easington Way, South Ockendon, shortly after 11.20pm on Thursday, May 9 but it failed to stop.

The car – which had been reported stolen stopped in Hubert Road, Rainham, where four people got out and ran off. Three boys were arrested and enquiries are ongoing to find the fourth person.

A 17-year-old boy from Hornchurch was arrested on suspicion of robbery, attempted theft of a vehicle, theft from a vehicle, failing to stop, and dangerous driving.

Two 17-year-old boys from Rainham and Upminster were arrested on suspicion of robbery, theft from a vehicle, failing to stop, and dangerous driving.

All three have been released on bail until June 2 while enquiries continue.

The post Three teenagers arrested over robberies in Grays and South Ockendon appeared first on Your Thurrock.