A MAN is due in court today, Thursday 16 January, charged with offences after a car collided with two police officers.

One of the officers was also punched in the face following the collision in Drake Road, Chafford Hundred, on Tuesday 14 January.

The officers, a man and a woman, were taken to hospital but were not seriously injured.

Dayne Cooper, 26, of Fenton Road, Chafford Hundred, has been charged with attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, assaulting an emergency worker, dangerous driving, failing to provide a specimen for analysis and driving without insurance.

He is due to appear at Basildon Magistrates’ Court today.

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TV cameras are to be allowed to film in Crown Courts in England and Wales for the first time reports the BBC.

New legislation being laid before Parliament will allow judges’ sentencing remarks in serious high-profile criminal cases to be seen and heard by TV and online audiences.

However, trials will not be televised as they are in countries such as the US as only the judge will be filmed.

The judiciary, broadcasters and government have welcomed the move.

The legislation will, for the first time, allow TV cameras to film judges passing sentence in murder, sexual offences, terrorism and other serious high-profile criminal cases in Crown Courts in England and Wales, including the Old Bailey.

It marks a radical change and a significant extension to the operation of open justice though whole trials will not be televised.

Filming in the Scottish Courts has been allowed subject to permissions and conditions since 1992 but it does not happen that often and the first filming of a sentencing in Scotland was in 2012.

In the US, cases including the 1995 trial of OJ Simpson for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman made gripping television but faced criticism for providing an unedifying spectacle at times.

In England and Wales, the concern has always been that televising trials could deter victims, witnesses and jurors – the vital cogs in the trial process – from taking part.
Televising trials: Learning from the US

So, the judge alone will be seen on camera as he or she delivers their sentencing remarks. No-one else involved in the trial – victims, witnesses, jurors, lawyers or the convicted defendant – will be filmed.

The filming can be “live”, with a short time delay to avoid breaking any reporting restrictions or any other error.

More often it is envisaged that the judge’s sentencing remarks will be filmed for use in later news broadcasts.

All Crown Court staff who will be involved in the cases where filming takes place will receive training and new guidance.

The new rules will allow filming only of the judge – not anyone else involved in a trial

The full sentencing remarks of any case broadcast will also be hosted on a website to which the public has access.

The legislation should take around three months to make its way through Parliament, meaning the first broadcasts should take place in late spring or early summer.

Today’s move follows a successful three-month pilot that allowed not-for-broadcast sentencing remarks to be filmed in eight Crown Courts.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, said: “It is important that the justice system and what happens in our courts is as transparent as possible.
“My hope is that there will be regular broadcasting of the remarks in high profile cases, and that will improve public understanding.”

But not everyone has given the move an unconditional welcome. Bar Council chairman Amanda Pinto said: “If the public see judge’s faces in the living room on television and are able to identify them more readily then unfortunately they are more likely to be personally attacked, and possibly details published about them which should not be.’

Today’s announcement marks the first time cameras will be permitted in Crown Courts in England and Wales where serious crimes are tried.

Commenting on the law change, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said: “This government, alongside the judiciary, is committed to improving public understanding of our justice system and allowing cameras into the Crown Court will do just that.

“It will ensure our courts remain open and transparent and allow people to see justice being delivered to the most serious of offenders.”

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ESSEX Police are looking to speak to 22 year-old David Pascan in connection with an assault in Chadwell St Mary.

It took place in Ruskin Road just after midnight on Christmas Eve.

He is described as white, slim, 5ft 8ins tall, with short brown hair and a beard.

He has links in Grays and Brentwood and is also known to frequent the Westfield shopping centre.

If you’ve seen him or have any information about where he is please call us on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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THURROCK Neighbourhood Watch unveiled their 2020 New Year calendar at Essex Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s headquarters.

Deputy Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Jane Gardner said: “I was delighted to once again support the Neighbourhood Watch by officially launching this Neighbourhood Watch calendar. It’s a really useful tool for residents and local businesses and helps to raise the profile of the great work that Neighbourhood Watch members do.”

Thurrock District NH Chair: Roger Passfield: “We at Thurrock Neighbourhood Watch have been working harder with increasing membership throughout the year. Thurrock is reaching 30 yrs this year, so I would like to take the opportunity by saying thank you for your support and if you know someone who is interested in starting a watch then let us know.

Essex watch liaison officer: Kevin Blake: “I am one of four Essex Watch Liaison Officers employed by Essex Police and one of our main duties is to facilitate NHW throughout the County.

“We work closely with all members and are visibly active with major events all year round promoting not just NHW, but other watches scheme we support including Dog, Rural and Farm, Heritage, Caravan and Marine to name but a few.

“We pass on crime data for each area plus notify members if there are any scams that are taking place”.

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A TEENAGER from Chafford Hundred has pleaded guilty to a number of crimes of dishonesty.

Rachel Payne, aged 18, of Grifon Road, Chafford Hundred made the plea to the following crimes at Basildon magistrates court.

On 13/03/2019 at Grays stole a Mulberry purse containing bank cards, driving licence, gym membership card and £10 note, to the value of £135, belonging to another.

On 13/03/2019 at Grays committed fraud in that you dishonestly made a false representation, namely used a bank card in the name of another without his permission, intending to make a gain, namely by purchasing clothing and gift cards, for yourself

On 13/03/2019 at West Thurrock committed fraud in that you dishonestly made a false representation, namely used a gym membership card belonging to another, intending to make a gain, namely obtaining access to the gym without payment, for yourself.

Payne was fined £155.00 and made subject of a community order. She must carry out carry out unpaid work for 60 hours within the next twelve months. This work will be supervised by the responsible officer.

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PFCC for Essex and national lead for finance welcomes government funding announcement

Roger Hirst, Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex and national lead for police finance welcomed the announcement of the government’s funding settlement of policing.

Speaking after the announcement Mr Hirst said “Today’s announcement marks one of the largest ever investments in policing nationally by central government and will kick start the biggest recruitment of officers in recent times. The extra funding will allow forces such as Essex to recruit and sustain hundreds of extra officers and provide local forces and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners with the resources required to invest in those officers, their training and help them to get the technology and support they need to be as effective as possible in their local communities.

“As the national lead for finance for Police and Crime Commissioners, I have been working closely with the government for a number of years to secure a sustainable funding settlement. Today’s announcement is recognition that they have been listening to the challenges faced by policing, but also have seen the difference Forces can make in tackling some of the significant challenges in our communities especially around violence, gangs and reducing crime.

“As we continue to work with the government on the future funding of policing and in particular the long term funding set out through the Comprehensive Spending Review, I look forward to continuing the strong, evidence based conversations we have had up to now.

“As well as confirming the extra £750 million funding proposed late last year, the announcement today also provides additional freedom for locally elected Police, Fire and Crime Commissioners to raise extra funding from the policing precept proportion of local council tax.

“In Essex we have been strongly supported by our local communities who have shown over the last two years a willingness to invest more in policing. Due to this strong support we have been able to recruit, train and deploy 368 extra officers over the last two years, largely in local, community-based roles. On top of this locally funded growth, the increase in funding for 135 extra officers, which has been confirmed by government today, means that by the end of March 2021 there will be 500 more officers protecting and serving our County than there were in 2016. We will also ensure that they are properly supported by the essential police staff as well as the equipment, facilities and all the resources they need to do their jobs.

“Today’s announcement is a significant step towards achieving the Government’s aim of recruiting 20,000 extra officers nationally. Over the next three years, this will make Essex Police the largest and strongest it has ever been.

“In Essex we saw the need for extra officers early and acted quickly so our recruitment programme is well underway and delivering large numbers of high quality new recruits. This early start means we are well ahead of other areas in the country and will be able to access the extra funding announced today but ring fenced until forces meet their officer recruitment targets. This significant increased investment also means I can limit this year’s precept increase to only deal with inflationary pressures. This is great news for the people of Essex!”

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Report by the Stanford-le-Hope Town team

ON Thursday, officers from Thurrock’s Town Centre Team were patrolling Stanford-le-Hope Town Centre when they were alerted of a man acting suspiciously near a business store.

Officers spoke to the male and used appropriate Stop and Search powers. On conducting a check on the police national computer, officers confirmed the male was wanted by City of London Police for failing to appear at City of London Magistrates court since October last year.

He has been successfully arrested and taken to a nearby police station where he will be duly transferred to City of London Magistrates Court in the morning.

Following this arrest, Sergeant Ben Forbes, who leads the Thurrock Town Centre Teams said:

“Firstly, without the eagle eyes of our member of the public and their complete dedication to support and jointly work alongside the police, this arrest wouldn’t of been possible.

“This man has been wanted for three months and has shown a complete disregard for the juridical system by failing to appear at his trial.

“Thankfully he did not commit any offences in Essex but this arrest has prevented that possibility.

“Thank you and well done to the member of the public and my officers are so grateful for your support and belief that you have shown that we will act, we will listen and we will be visible.”

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A MAN who was quickly arrested by Grays Town Centre Team officers during an attempted shop theft has been jailed.

Dean Crooks, 33, of Seabrooke Rise, Grays, received five months for assault by beating and two months for attempted theft, to run concurrently, at Basildon Crown Court on Friday 17 January.

He previously pleaded guilty to the offences.

On Tuesday 30 July at around 3.45pm, Crooks’ accomplice, Laura Reid, 36, also of Seabrooke Rise, attempted to walk out of Morrisons in London Road, Grays, with four bottles of alcohol.

She was stopped and called out to Crooks, who attempted to take Reid’s handbag containing the bottles. He was stopped by a member of staff and while being detained, he kicked a worker.

Reid was jailed for six months at Basildon Crown Court on Monday 4 November after admitting three counts of shoplifting, two counts of failing to surrender to bail, breaching a community order and possession of cannabis.

The Grays Town Centre Team applied for a criminal behaviour order, which was granted on Wednesday 18 December.

It bans her from entering the town centre for five years except for pre-arranged appointments with support services and health care providers.

The exclusion zone is the area between the A126 London Road, A126 Orsett Road, B189 Derby Road, Crown Road and Maidstone Road.

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A MAN has appeared in court on Friday 24 January, in connection with the deaths of 39 people found in a lorry in Grays last year.

Eamonn Harrison, 22, of Mayobridge, Northern Ireland, appeared at Dublin’s High Court where it was agreed that he would be extradited to the UK under the terms of an European Arrest Warrant (EAW).

He faces 39 charges of manslaughter, conspiracy to traffic people and conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and he has been remanded to appear at Dublin’s High Court on Tuesday 4 February.

This hearing will agree the terms of Harrison’s extradition, which followed successful applications made by Essex Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

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A MAN caught repeatedly driving hire cars despite being banned from the roads has been jailed for four months.

Officers from the West Operation Raptor team were patrolling in Wharf Road South, Grays on January 9 last year when they spotted 27-year-old Eric Agyei stood next to a red Mercedes.

The vehicle had the doors wide open and Agyei was stood next to it with camera equipment in his hand.

Officers asked how the car had got there and Agyei claimed it had been rented and driven there by another man.

When officers checked with the hire car company they established that Agyei had an account with the company and had rented 32 vehicles over a four-month period.

He was voluntarily interviewed by officers and charged with driving whilst disqualified, dishonestly failing to disclose information and using a motor vehicle without insurance.

Agyei of New Cross Road , New Cross Gate, pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court.

He was jailed for four months and was banned from driving for 16-months.

Following the sentencing Det Sgt Scott Fitzmaurice of the West Operation Raptor team said: “Disqualified drivers are banned from our roads for a reason and those individuals who flout the law by driving are therefore uninsured and placing other innocent road users at risk.

“It’s clear by the amount of times that Agyei was hiring vehicles that he was not lawfully allowed to drive, that he had no regard for the law and he was punished accordingly by the courts.”

Agyei was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday 20 January.

Essex Police set up Operation Raptor teams in the North, South and West of the county to tackle drug and gang-related crime.

If you have information about drug or gang-related crime in your community contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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ESSEX Police are continuing to appeal for information to locate David Pascan, 22, in connection with an assault in Grays.

They believe that he is in Harwich and they are continuing to search the area.

They would like to locate Pascan following reports of an assault in Ruskin Road just after midnight on Christmas Eve.

He is described as white, slim, 5ft 8ins tall, with short brown hair and a beard.

If you’ve seen him or have any information about where he is please call on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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By Local Democracy Reporter
Steve Shaw

AN effort to bring major improvements to the services offered to victims of sexual violence in Thurrock could move forward as health bosses review a landmark assessment of the flaws in the system.

Thurrock Council’s Public Health team published the in-depth report at the end of 2019 and revealed that an estimated 12,101 residents had experienced a sexual assault since the age of 16 and of those, 56 per cent are said to have attempted self-harm.

It further concluded that 2,718 residents of all ages had experienced some form of sexual violence or abuse in the last 12 months.

However, the majority of these victims are being let down by a system which is fragmented, records inconsistent data and leaves many feeling they are unable to properly tell their story.

The assessment aims to highlight the urgent need for a complete overhaul of services that could see them being made responsible for overseeing personalised support for every victim and providing direct access to mental health support at the earliest opportunity.

It states: “Too often, we heard examples of agencies involved in sexual violence and abuse not working effectively together, of survivors having to tell their story multiple times, and of having to access a myriad of different agencies to obtain the support they required.

“Our ambition is for every survivor who makes a disclosure of sexual violence and abuse to be offered a comprehensive assessment to identify any appropriate support to help address their needs.”

Next week health bosses who make up Thurrock’s Health and Wellbeing Board will meet to discuss the proposals and they are being recommended to endorse its findings which will clear the way for a summit to be held in the spring that will bring together many services to discuss potential changes.

A report published ahead of next week’s meeting describes it as an opportunity to set a national example.

Labour Councillor Victoria Holloway, who chairs the council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee said: “This is the first step in bringing about changes that will ensure that residents get to the right service quicker.

“What may happen currently is someone goes to one service, that service might refer them to not quite the right person so they would be referred to another service and each time they would be having to tell their story. It can be a really distressing experience and it is not what should be happening.

“As a councillor I will be making sure this piece of work is seen through as I really believe that if we can get it right here in Thurrock we can help get it right for places beyond Thurrock.”

Categorie

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ESSEX Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with dash cam footage following a collision in Grays which has left a woman with potentially life-threatening injuries.

A police spokesperson said: “We were called to reports a vehicle had been in collision with a house in Heath Road shortly after 10.40am today (Tuesday 28 January).

The driver, a woman in her 80s, has been taken to hospital with injuries which are described as potentially life-threatening.

“We need to speak to anyone who saw the collision or what led up to it.

“If you saw anything, have any CCTV or dash cam footage, or have any other information please call us on 101 quoting incident 329 of 28 January or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111”.

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Two new Town Centre Teams are going to be out on patrol in Thurrock.

IN addition to the teams covering Grays, Stanford-le-Hope and South Ockendon, Tilbury and Purfleet will now be getting dedicated teams

The teams, which will each be made up of two officers, are being funded by Thurrock Council and start patrolling from today (Thursday 30 January).

The Town Centre Teams deal with issues on your doorstep, tackle issues such as anti-social behaviour and drug supply while being visible in local towns.

The three existing teams in Thurrock launched in July and August last year.

In their first 100 days they made 20 arrests, carried out 37 stop and searches, nearly 50 investigations, and engaged with more than 100 businesses, as well tackling anti-social behaviour and working with the council to issue dozens of Community Protection Notices to individuals whose behaviour is considered to be unreasonable and having a detrimental effect on the community’s quality of life.

Chief Inspector Richard Melton, District Commander for Thurrock, said: “I’m delighted to add two new Town Centre Teams to help keep Thurrock even safer.
“The teams in Grays, Stanford-le-Hope and South Ockendon have already had a significant impact since their inception last summer and provide a positive, visible presence for our communities.

“They play a really important role within our communities, helping to tackle issues like anti-social behaviour and drug dealing.
“I have no doubt that these two new teams will have a similar impact in Tilbury and Purfleet.

Cllr Rob Gledhill, Leader of Thurrock Council, said: “I am very pleased that two new officers dedicated to Purfleet town centre and two new officers in Tilbury town centre will be patrolling these areas, alongside current town centre teams working in Grays, South Ockendon and Stanford-le-Hope. I’ve championed the town centre teams in our borough from the start and am delighted that Essex Police could work with us to bring these additional officers to two further areas.

“Working in partnership with Essex Police to tackle crime, violence and anti-social behaviour in our borough’s town centres is a key priority.

“The success of the existing teams’ presence on our streets from when they first launched to now speaks for itself – only this month the team in Stanford-le-Hope issued a male with a Community Protection Warning after he was identified as a person of interest; while over Christmas the Grays town centre team successfully took action against a prolific shoplifter who targeted local shops and has since been banned from entering Grays town centre for five years.

“We will always take crime and anti-social behaviour in Thurrock very seriously which is why the proposed 1.49 per cent increase in general Council Tax for 2020/21 will be used in part to continue to tackle it. We are also investing £1million over the next three years to tackle anti-social behaviour and serious violence.

“Many thanks to Essex Police for continuing to work with us and for helping to make Thurrock’s town centres safer.”
The team in Tilbury is PC Richard Harris and PC Lauren Whitwell while the team in Purfleet is made up of PC Nicole Plom and PC Bran Butcher.

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A MAN has been jailed for hacking into the iCloud accounts of multiple people before capturing their private photographs and sharing them online with others.

Tony Spencer, 38, of Victoria Hill, Eye, Suffolk, was sentenced today at Basildon Crown Court , Friday 30 January, for various computer misuse act offences hacking iCloud accounts of young women as well as using covert cameras to film women and young children getting changed at a leisure centre in Norfolk.

He received a total of 32 months immediate custodial sentence for nine counts of voyeurism, five counts of taking an indecent photographs of a child and 12 counts of Computer Misuse Act (Hacking) Offences. He was put on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and was given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10yrs.

Spencer previously admitted the offences at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 19 September 2019.

In 2017, Essex Cyber Crime Team discovered that Spencer had accessed iCloud accounts without the owner’s consent to obtain private sexual images for his own and others sexual gratification.

A police spokesperson said: “During several searches of his home address, we found computer equipment containing the victims’ pictures as well as software used to access these accounts. Twelve victims were identified and they were informed.

On Spencer’s computer equipment were also secret recordings made using specialist hidden recording equipment at his home address to capture his own sexual activities.

There were also recordings made at Diss Leisure Centre in Norfolk where he secretly filmed young women and children getting changed in the changing rooms.

These are believed to have been recorded between 2006 and 2011.

Of these recordings we were able to identify seven of the victims and inform them of his actions.

Detective Sergeant Ian Collins, of Essex Police’s Cyber Crime Team said: “Spencer is a sexual predator who has now been brought to justice for his actions.

“The victims have been through an extremely distressing and emotional time throughout this investigation and can now have some justice with Spencer being prosecuted and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life, which will also acts as a deterrent for other offenders.

“Spencer went to extreme lengths to obtain images of young women and children without permission for his own and others sexual gratification.

“His secret lifestyle went hidden for many years until we received just a single report that revealed much, much more.

“He used his specialist knowledge to hack his unsuspecting victims’ accounts and then accessed their most intimate photographs for his own sexual purpose and that of others.

“Spencer had no regard to the distress and embarrassment he caused the victims. We have now uncovered a long history of offending shown in his use of hidden cameras used at the swimming pool where he targeted both women and children at the point of getting changed into swimwear.

“This case highlights the importance of using two-factor authentication (2FA) on your online accounts.

“Spencer was not able to access any accounts secured with 2FA as he would have needed the mobile phone of the victims at the same time.

“People who commit crime online wrongly believe that we will not investigate these offences.

“The Cyber Crime unit is dedicated to investigating serious online crime and if you commit crime online, we will investigate you and bring you to justice.“

This investigation is part of a larger Essex Police investigation involving a number of suspects across the country found to be hacking into hundreds of iCloud accounts.

It started after a victim from Grays reported her iCloud account being hacked and her personal intimate pictures posted online.

Two other offenders have already been convicted for iCloud hacking with Craig Steinberg, 33, of Lily Street, Sunderland, jailed in March 2018 for 34 months for 14 counts of Computer Misuse Act Offences and Dominik James, 33, of Beehive way, Stevenage, jailed for eight months for five counts of Computer Misuse Act Offences.

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ESSEX Police is set to hire an additional 151 officers as its council tax precept is due to increase by nearly three per cent.

Most of these officers will be funded through the government’s Police Uplift Programme, as part of the Prime Minister’s announcement that the government would fund 20,000 extra officers though central government grants.

But residents are expected to be asked to contribute though council tax increases the equivalent to an increase of £5.67 for a Band D household.

It means the annual bill is to increase from £192.96 to £198.63 for a Band D, raising an extra £5.3million.

From that recruitment drive of 151 officers an additional 55 detectives will be created, as well as nine specialist firearms officers, three specialist traffic collision officers and 11 managing sexual violent offender and online investigations.

There will be an additional 135 operational officers who are available to go on patrol.

At the end of March 2021 Essex Police plan to have 3,369 officers, this is another increase in officer recruitment following on from the 368 additional officers recruited over the last two years.

This will mean that Essex Police will have grown by 519 officers since 2017/18.

RogerHirst, Essex Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “After this we will be back to the 2012 levels and the levels where we were successfully reducing crime across the country before, but we are not back to peak.

“And we need to recognise there are more complex crime and new crimes such as cyber crimes and we need to recognise particularly the population has grown and we continue to invest.

“But this is going to be powerful and strong enough to really make a difference.”

The past two years have seen significant increases to Essex Police officers numbers funded by a total £36 increase on the council tax bill for a band D household.

That helped pay to increase the number of officers from 2,850 in 2017/18 to 3,218 for 2019/2020.

Mr Hirst said: “We are expanding at the fastest pace we can but we don’t think it’s over yet. We will be continuing to invest for at least two more years.

“The government has said it will fund two more years of expansion and it will largely be on the back of the government expansion.

“By the time we get to the end of the government’s 20,000 uplift we will have more police officers in Essex than we have ever had before.”

The tax increases come after two thirds of residents who responded to a police funding consultation earlier in January supported an increase in the police precept.

He added: “The public are really supporting this expansion.”

The proposals are set to be agreed at an Essex Police panel on Thursday, February 6.

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A MAN has been sentenced to 20 months in a Young Offender Institution after being found with cocaine and a false identity document.

Officers stopped Egzon Rexhaj, 20, in a Volkswagen Golf at the Mayflower Retail Park in Basildon on 23 November last year.

Ten wraps of cocaine were found inside the car, along with £1,035 in cash.

When initially arrested, he provided officers with a fake name, and had managed to obtain a false driving licence and false insurance for the car he was in.

Rexhaj, of Grove Road in Grays, admitted possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and possession of an identity document with improper intention when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday 15 January.

He was sentenced on Wednesday 29 January to 16 months for the drugs charge and four months for the document offence, to run consecutively.

He was also ordered to pay a £149 victim surcharge.

The £1,035 cash and the drugs he was found with have been seized.

PC Ross Brown, of Basildon’s Local Policing Team, said: “Following proactive police work, and using stop and search powers, Rexhaj was found in possession with a quantity of
Class A drugs and documents to hide his true identity.

“This case show we will use the powers available to us to detect and disrupt drug dealing in Basildon.

“If you are caught, we will arrest you, we will investigate, and you will be put before the court where you can face time in prison like Rexhaj.”

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A WOMAN has been charged with theft from a charity store in South Ockendon.

Martha Ayanfalu, aged 39, of Premier Inn, Stonehouse Lane, Purfleet was charged with the following.

On 21/11/2019 at South Ockendon stole 3 X oriental ornaments to the value of £12, belonging to St Luke’s Hospice Charity Shop.

Ayanfalu was remanded in custody until February 20th at Chelmsford Magistrates Court.

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Class A drugs worth around £6,000 have been taken off the streets after work by the South Ockendon Town Centre Team.

Tyler Emmins, 27, was arrested in August last year after he was spotted riding a motorbike in a dangerous manner in Darenth Lane.

Officers could smell cannabis, which he admitted to having. He was detained for a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act and attempted to run off.

They found 70 packets of drugs on him, which were found to contain cannabis, ketamine and cocaine.

Emmins, of Cliff Place, South Ockendon, admitted three charges of possession of controlled drugs with intent to supply when he appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Monday 25 November.

He also admitted obstructing a police officer, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and driving without insurance.

Emmins was sentenced on Monday 27 January to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months.

He was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity.

A confiscation order for £380 was also made under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Sergeant Ben Forbes said: “This result was only possible thanks to officers responding to concerns from residents about anti-social behaviour and dangerous riding of motorbikes in South Ockendon town centre.

“The officers were on foot and attempted to stop Emmins, who didn’t wish to follow their instructions. He was immediately detained and was found with class A drugs worth approximately £6,000.

“Emmins was charged following a thorough investigation by PC Stephen Fraser of the Town Centre Team.

“He initially denied the charges in court but changed his plea.

“I would like to thank the public for their daily support and ask them to continue letting us know of any concerns they have so we can deal with them appropriately.”

The Town Centre Team was launched last summer as part of our commitment to visible policing. The teams work proactively to deal with local issues and work closely with the community and partners.

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A WOMAN has pleaded guilty with returning to a house in South Ockendon close due to an anti-social behaviour order.

Martha Ayanfalu, aged 39, of Premier Inn, Stonehouse Lane, Purfleet was charged with the following.

On 15/11/2019 at South Ockendon entered premises, namely 32 Corve Lane, South Ockendon, Essex, RM15 6BA, in contravention of a closure notice under section 1 of the Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 issued by a constable on 14th November 2019

On 09/01/2020 at Basildon failed without reasonable cause to surrender to custody at Basildon Magistrates’ Court, having been released on bail in criminal proceedings on 15/11/19 at Grays Police Station.

Ayanfalu was remanded in custody until February 20th at Chelmsford Magistrates Court.

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