News 27 January to 2 February
Colchester: Four people who died in collision provisionally named
We were called shortly before 4.40am on Saturday 1 February to reports a vehicle had been in collision with a building in Magdalen Street.
We're now in a position to provisionally name the people who died in yesterday’s collision in Colchester.
A car, with three men and a woman inside, was in collision with a building in Magdalen Street shortly before 4.40am on Saturday 1 February.
Twenty two year-old Makyle Bayley, 21 year-old Eva Darold-Tchikaya, Anthony Hibbert, who was 24, and 22 year-old Daljang Wol all died at the scene.
All four were students at the University of Essex.
Reason #42 not to run from Police Dog Kaiser
In the last 12 months, PD Kaiser has directly contributed to the arrest of 42 suspected criminals. And he has found 25 keys pieces of evidence. The three-year-old German shepherd loves to celebrate arrests with chicken and sardine treats. Top work PD Kaiser!
Pitsea: Enquiries continue into fatal collision
“My team is working tirelessly to give their loved ones the answers they need”
That’s from the officer leading the investigation into last night’s fatal collision in Pitsea where two children died.
Officers have been carrying out enquiries since a collision involving a car and the two children in Ashlyns at around 6.25pm on Saturday 1 February.
We can now confirm the children are a 16 year-old boy and a nine year-old girl.
The car failed to stop at the scene and a man and a woman – both in their 20s – were arrested a short time later on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of a collision.
They remain in custody.
Chelmsford: Vehicles seized after illegal street racing
We received calls from about 9pm on Friday 24 January about illegal street racing taking place on the A131 near to the racecourse, including people reporting near misses.
BBC News: Tackling shoplifting in Essex
BBC News came to Essex to see how we’re tackling shoplifting.
You can watch their full report on iPlayer – it was broadcast throughout the day on 30 January.
Officers from the Chelmsford community policing and town centre teams mounted one of their regular plain-clothes operations to tackle shoplifting in the city centre, while our specialist Business Crime officers spoke to retailers about their concerns and ways of improving store security and staff safety.
And this is what we want to do more of.
Basildon: Prolific shoplifter defied countywide garages ban, court told
A prolific Basildon shoplifter has admitted breaching a countywide ban on entering BP garages to commit more thefts.
Jon Lee, 39, appeared before Southend magistrates, charged with 61 offences, just 24 hours after his arrest on 28 January.
Thurrock: Rapper sentenced to five years and seven months for drug dealing
Rapper Jordan Antoine has been sentenced to more than five years in prison after being found guilty of running Class A drugs into Essex.
Antoine, 30, of Simons Walk, London, E15, performed under the name Charlie Brown – slang terms for cocaine and heroin – with songs glamorising drug dealing and violence.
However, he was making peanuts from his music career with his income coming from control of the ‘Fresh’ line, supplying cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin in Thurrock.
He was arrested at his mum’s house in Stratford following a joint operation between our Op Raptor team in Grays and the Met’s Op Orochi officers.
Thaxted: Life sentence for murder of Richard Langley
A murderer has been jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 18 years after killing a man in the village of Thaxted.
Kevin Horswill, 51, of Magdalen Green in Thaxted, was sentenced by Her Honour Judge Mary Loram at Chelmsford Crown Court on 29 January, following a two-week trial.
The jury heard details of the case assembled by detectives, underpinned by a detailed timeline of CCTV from throughout the evening of the attack.
Our officers showed that pair were seen arguing on camera at a Thaxted pub shortly before the fatal attack.
Our timeline tracked them moving separately through the village before Horswill returned to Richard’s garden in Orchard Close, and then leaving shortly after now injured as a result of his assault.
Bodyworn video shortly after showed the efforts of the public, paramedics and police to save Richard’s life.
Funding challenge update
Difficult times lay ahead for Essex Police as the Police, Fire and Crime Panel prepare to meet to decide upon the amount the county’s taxpayers contribute to policing in Essex.
Chief Constable BJ Harrington said Essex Police had done all it could to fight for a fair funding deal, to make efficiency savings to plug a funding gap and to try to find alternative solutions to sustain our current level of operational policing in the county.
The panel will meet to decide the amount the people of Essex pay for their police next month.
However, even if the precept is set at the maximum amount of £14, the force will still face a residual £5m gap in its budget.
This mean that a number of difficult options will be presented to the panel in order to plug the funding gap.
Thaxted: 51-year-old man convicted of murder
A 51-year-old man from Thaxted has been convicted of murder after a violent assault in the victim’s own garden.
Kevin Horswill, of Magdalen Green in the village, had been at The Star public house in Mill End on the evening of 17 March 2024 when Richard Langley arrived.
During the course of the evening the two were involved in an altercation before 52-year-old Richard left.
Richard can be seen on CCTV walking the dog in the village later that evening, when Horswill appears shortly after on the same cameras walking the same route before fatally assaulting him in the garden of his address in Orchard Close.
Horswill tried to deny he instigated the assault at his trial at Chelmsford crown Court, but the jury refused to believe he acted in self-defence and convicted him of murder by majority verdict on 28 January 2025.
He will be remanded in custody until his sentencing at the same court on 29 January 2025.
Thurrock: Community policing officers recover three stolen vehicles in one day
Three stolen cars have been recovered by officers from Thurrock Community Policing Team.
Following information received, they located a Ford Puma in Castle Road, Grays, and a Kia Stinger in London Road, Purfleet, today 27 January 2025.
Both cars have been recovered and will be returned to their owners.
Officers also located a BMW 3 Series dumped down a farm track in Chadwell St Mary, which had been stolen from Oxford two days previously. Unfortunately, it had been broken down for its spare parts.
All vehicles will be tested forensically and inquiries into the thefts are ongoing.
Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Monday 3 February
10am to 11am
Billericay Community Hub, High Street, Billericay CM12 9BQ
10am to 11am
McDonalds, Hartley Brook Road, Clacton.
10am to 12pm
Walton Community Forum, 61 High Street, Walton on Naze.
10am to 11am
The Council Offices, Victoria Place, Brightlingsea
10am to 11am
Rowhedge Village Hall, Colchester
10am to 11am
Lakelands Community Centre , 2 Western Approach , Colchester
10:30am to 11:30am
The Orchards Cafe, Mascalls Way, Great Baddow, Chelmsford
11am to 12pm
Havens, Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff
11am to 12pm
Miracle House, Silver Island Way, Wickford, SS12 9NR
11am to 12pm
Towngate Theatre, St. Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1DL
Tuesday 4 February
10am to 11am
West Mersea Library, Colchester
10am to 11am
Asda Supermarket, Bull Hill Road, Clacton on Sea
11am to 12pm
Mothers Kitchen, Felmores End, Pitsea
11am to 12pm
Towngate Theatre, St. Martins Square, Basildon SS14 1DL
12pm to 2pm
The Megacentre Rayleigh, 7 Brook Road, Rayleigh SS6 7UT
12pm to 1pm
McDonalds Hadleigh, 124 High Street, Hadleigh, Benfleet
2pm to 3pm
West Mersea Library, Colchester
2:30pm to 4:30pm
Asda, Rawreth Lane, Rayleigh SS6 9RN
3pm to 4:30pm
Witham Town Hall, Heritage Suite, Witham
Wednesday 5 February
10am to 11am
Alan Hasler Place, Great Dunmow
10am to 2pm
Safe to go Stow Hub, 28 The Stow, Harlow, Essex
10am to 11am
Walton Library, 52 High Street, Walton on Naze
10am to 11am
The Snug Cafe, High Easter
10:30am to 11:30am
Chelmsford Library Chelmsford County Hall, Market Rd, Chelmsford
1pm to 2pm
Tea on The Heath, Pond Lane, Hatfield Heath
3pm to 4pm
Costa Coffee, Clacton Common Factory Shopping Village, Stephenson Road, Clacton on Sea
4pm to 5pm
The Forum, Elmer Square, Southend
4pm to 5pm
Knightswick Centre, Furtherwick Road Canvey Island
Thursday 6 February
9:30am to 11am
Touchpoint, 72 Chapel Hill
10am to 11am
Little Hallingbury Post Office, Lower Road, Little Hallingbury
10am to 1pm
Walton Community Forum, Well being Event, 61 High Street, Walton on Naze
10am to 11am
Wood Cottage Tea Room, Felsted
10:30am to 11:30am
One Colchester Hub, Long Wyre Street, Colchester
10:30am to 11:30am
Prettygate Baptist Church, Prettygate, Colchester
11am to 12pm
Canvey Town Council, 11/13 High Street, Canvey Island
11am to 12pm
Wood Cottage Tea Room, Felstead, Dunmow
12pm to 1pm
Clements Hall Leisure Centre, Hawkwell SS5 4LN
12:30pm to 1:30pm
Tiptree Jam Factory Factory Hill, Tiptree, Colchester
12:30pm to 1:30pm
Co-op, Church Road, Stansted
1pm to 2pm
Takeley Park, Station Road, Takeley
2pm to 3pm
Mens Shed, Little Canfield
2pm to 3pm
Oxygen Rayleigh, 26a Brook Road, Rayleigh SS6 7XL
4:30pm to 5:30pm
Waterside Farm Leisure Centre, Somnes Avenue, Canvey Island
6pm to 7pm
Hannakins Farm, Rosebay Avenue, Billericay CM12 0SY
Friday 7 February
10am to 11am
Ashfields, Green Street, Great Canfield
10am to 11am
Dainteas Tea Room, Dunmow Road, High Roding
11am to 12pm
Tesco Stores Ltd, Princes Road, Chelmsford
11am to 12pm
McDonalds, Pier Avenue, Clacton on Sea
11:30am to 12:30pm
Flitch Green Community Centre, Tanton Road
4pm to 5pm
Morrisons, Northwick Road, Canvey Island
Saturday 8 February
10am to 12pm
Roydon Village Market, Roydon Village Hall, Harlow Road, Roydon
11am to 12pm
The Cake O'clock Tea Shop, 410 Rayleigh Road, Leigh on Sea
3pm to 4pm
Post Office, Hatfield Broad Oak
4pm to 5pm
Co-op, White Street, Great Dunmow
5pm to 6pm
Benfleet Rail station, Ferry Road, Benfleet
Sunday 9 February
1:30pm to 1:30pm
Northlands Pavement, Pitsea, Basildon
3pm to 4pm
Costa Coffee, Waterglade Retail Park, Next, Unit 3, Old Road, Clacton on Sea
For full details of upcoming events, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
Keep a record of your mobile phone IMEI
Every phone has an IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. If your phone is stolen, you can use this ID to block it.
To find your phone IMEI number key in *#06# and press dial and make note of it.
You can also download ‘find your phone’ apps to find your phone and, more importantly, wipe the data stored on it.
Be fraud smart
Planning to book a holiday or a short break?
If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Stay scam savvy with these tips:
Read online reviews: Make sure to check reviews from reputable sources before making any bookings.
Verify the accommodation: Confirm if an accommodation really exists by verifying the address through web searches and online maps.
Check trade body membership: Ensure your travel company is a member of a trade body, such as ATOL.
Join our team
Police staff jobs
Clinical Governance Manager £53,265
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
This week we remember
Roderick ‘Rod’ Norton Daniels
Rod Daniels served with Essex Police for over 30 years from 4 June 1970. On 8 February 2001, he was on duty driving back from court at Harwich on the A12. He stopped at the scene of an accident close to a bend in the road near Kelvedon. After marked cars and colleagues arrived on scene, Rod, wearing a fluorescent jacket, walked down the verge to warn other drivers. He was struck by a maroon Ford Sierra and was killed.
Thomas Arthur Wake
Thomas Wake served with Essex County Constabulary from 22 August 1921. He previously served in the Norfolk Regiment during the First World War and was wounded in the battle of Mons. After 5 years with Essex Constabulary, he was on patrol near Billericay when he was knocked over by a motor bike. Thomas was off duty for a month suffering from bad headaches and fits. He returned to work on 5 February 1927 and died three days later.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
Obituaries
Leonard Terry
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Leonard Terry who retired as a Constable in 1989 and served at Pitsea, Brentwood, Dog Section at Chelmsford, Thorpe Le Soken, Orsett Heath, Special Branch at Tilbury and Southend. He passed away on 13 January 2025 aged 85 years.
John Rose
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague John Christopher Rose who retired as a sergeant in 1992 and served at Blackmore, Grays, Colchester, Clacton & Mistley. He passed away on 19 January 2025 aged 85 years.