Essex Police Dispatch - issue 88
Essex Police Weekly Update
This week: Georgia Harrison thanks police after Stephen Bear is jailed, 72-year-old charged after girl is kissed on bus, new Ashley Wadsworth documentary, is your vision roadworthy campaign, plus the latest arrests, charges convictions, crime prevention advice, job vacancies and more.
News 27 February to 5 March
Epping Forest: Georgia Harrison thanks police after Stephen Bear jailed
Georgia Harrison, a victim of revenge porn has gallantly spoken about her experiences and thanked the police, on the day her perpetrator has been sentenced to 21 months imprisonment.
Stephen Henry Bear, 33 of Bryony Close, Loughton appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday 3 March where he was sentenced after being found guilty of voyeurism, disclosing private sexual images without consent and breach of bail conditions. Read more.
Basildon: Man charged after girl kissed on bus
A 72-year-old man from Basildon has been charged in connection with an investigation into a report where a girl was sexually assaulted on a bus in Uppermayne. Read more.
Thurrock: Appeal following robbery victims after four arrested
Officers investigating a robbery at the Lakeside shopping centre at around 5.20pm on Saturday 4 March are appealing for information to identify the victims after four boys were arrested. Read more.
Epping Forest: Investigation after man stabbed
We are investigating an assault on High Beech, Loughton at around 9pm on Sunday 5 March, where a man in his 30s sustained a stab wound. Read more.
Rochford: Man convicted of multiple thefts
A man is due to be sentenced later this month over multiple theft offences in connection with an investigation into a series incidents at a supermarket in Rayleigh. Read more.
Thurrock: Officers seek driver following serious collision
We are appealing for witnesses and dash cam footage following a collision involving a Renault Megane and a Vauxhall Mokka on Muckingford Road, Linford at around 6am on Wednesday 25 January. Read more.
Chelmsford: Man jailed for unprovoked attack
A man who carried out an unprovoked attack on a stranger in Chelmsford has been jailed following work by our officers. Read more.
Stansted: Flight diverted after loss of comms
A flight was diverted to Stansted Airport after communications with the pilot had been lost. The plane, which had been flying from Iceland to Nairobi via Southend was escorted to the airport by RAF jets and landed shortly before 12.50pm on Saturday 4 March. Read more.
Ashley Wadsworth: New documentary about her murder
A new documentary explores the relationship between Ashley and the man who admitted murdering her and shows how detectives in Essex secured justice for Ashley and her family when Sepple was jailed for a minimum of 23-and-a-half years in October 2022. Read more.
"Our commitment to Ashley"
Detective Superintendent Matt Cornish on new way to assess most dangerous domestic abusers.
Sepple had subjected Ashley to an ongoing ordeal of abuse and violence which ultimately resulted in her death but no reports of abuse had been made to us.
“Prior to Ashley’s death there’d been no reports to us of domestic abuse between her and Sepple, so we wanted to understand that and how the first report that came to us was a murder.
“We carried out a rapid debrief to understand their relationship and the abuse that went on, how this happened, what we could learn from it, and, more importantly, how we could stop it happening again.” Read more
Epping Forest: Appeal following collision
Officers are appealing for witnesses and dash cam footage following a collision involving a Ford Focus and a motorcycle at around 3pm on Wednesday 15 February on the B181, Epping Road. Read more.
Thurrock & Southend: Prolific shoplifter is jailed and banned from entering shops
A prolific shoplifter has been jailed for 28 months and banned from entering shops in Stanford le Hope and Southend for five years. Read more.
Road Safety: Is your vision roadworthy?
This week, Essex Police are supporting the National Police Chiefs’ Council Campaign, Is Your Vision Roadworthy?” The campaign highlights drivers have a legal obligation to ensure that their vision is good before they take to the roads. Read more.
Thurrock: 24 convicted after disruption
In the last two weeks, 24 people have been convicted in court for their part in the disruption caused in the Thurrock district in April last year. Read more
A12 collision: family tribute to Jennifer Anne Tillett , 83
The family of an “extremely kind” woman who died following a serious collision in Chelmsford have paid tribute, saying she was “the heart” of the family. Read more.
Colchester: Appeal after Canterbury Road robbery
We’re investigating a robbery after it was reported two men, armed with knives and with their faces covered entered at a shop on Canterbury Road, Colchester, around 7.15pm on Monday 20 February, and threatened a shopkeeper. Read more.
Castle Point: Report of serious incident
A 14-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man, both from Canvey Island, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary following reports of a disturbance on Link Road, Canvey at around 10.50am on Monday 27 February. Read more.
Castle Point: Arrests after Land Rover is stolen
Two people were arrested following a report of a Land Rover Discovery having been stolen from the street outside an address on Canvey Island shortly before 12.45am on Monday 27 February. Read more.
Crime prevention advice
As we head towards spring think about updating your home security systems to match the change in day light hours.
Use timer devices on lights and radios, making sure the times on them match your usual routine.
Check the locks on shed or garages haven’t been damaged by the winter weather.
Check your windows from outside & remove anything that someone could climb on to gain access.
Make sure down stairs windows are locked & the key is removed. If you have UPCV windows remember to lift the handle first.
For more crime prevention tips and advice visit our website.
Be fraud smart
Criminals seek to capitalise on the cost of living crisis
There has been a rise in consumers being targeted by phishing emails pretending to be from utility companies claiming to provide savings on energy bills, as well as offering fuel vouchers, phone bill discounts and supermarket offers. These emails are becoming increasingly sophisticated and are designed to harvest personal and financial information.
A number of supermarket brands have been spoofed in fake ads on social media with offers of too good to be true deals, competitions or giveaways. A number of people have reported seeing fake ads offering free food products that are due to expire. The ad encourages people to register via a link in order to win or claim the food. In reality, the offer does not exist and the third party website is designed to steal your personal or financial information.
In recent months, a number of people have reported receiving suspicious phone calls from scammers claiming to be from their phone provider. The scammer states that the phone owner is eligible for a discount on their phone bill due to cost of living hardships and then asks a series of questions designed to steal their personal information.
If you see an offer that sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always check the brand’s official website or social media channels to verify whether an offer is authentic.
For more information on how you, your family, your friends, neighbours and colleagues can take steps to prevent becoming a victim of fraud, please visit the fraud advice pages on our website.
Careers at Essex Police
Police Staff jobs
Detention Officer £23,100 to £25,353
Closing date 24 March, 2023
Operational Centre Administrator £21,432 to £22,677
Closing date: 20 March 2023
Apprentice PR and Communications Assistant £20,000 to £21,000
Closing date: 17 March 2023
Business Services Assistant £20,118 to £21,399
Closing date: 16 March 2023
Occupational Health Advisor Team Leader £42,207 to £45,375
Closing date: 15 March 2023
Counselling and Wellbeing Adviser £36,177 to £38,856
Closing date: 15 March 2023
Customer Contact Administrator £23,100 to £25,353
Closing date: 14 March 2023
HR Resource Planning Assistant £21,837 to £25,194
Closing date: 13 March 2023
Geographical Facilities Assistant £21,837 to £25,194
Closing date: 13 March 2023
Technical Surveillance Officer £36,177 to £38,856
Closing date: 10 March 2023
Geographical Facilities Assistants £20,118 to £21,399
Closing date: 9 March 2023
Scrutiny Officer £31,434 to £33,348
Closing date: 8 March, 2023
Resolution Centre Investigator £28,299 to £32,754
Contact Handler (full time) £27,279 - £32,754
Contact Handler (part time) £16,103 per annum
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
This week we remember
This week we remember Walter George Sutch and Chris Wiggins.
Walter Sutch
Walter Sutch joined Essex Constabulary as Police Constable 110. Nine months later he volunteered for military service and was enlisted as Lance Corporal M2/106189 of 401st Mechanical Transport Company of the Army Service Corps. Little is known of his Military Service other than that he was posted to 1st/2nd (Lancashire) Heavy Battery and served on the Western Front.
On March 7, 1916, aged twenty, he died suffering from diabetes whilst still on active service.
Christopher ‘Wiggy’ Wiggins
Chris Wiggins served with Essex Police from 8 March 1982. On 13 October 1992, Chris was on duty patrolling the M25 with PC Richard Raker. They responded to a report of a car on fire and arrived to find it well alight on the hard shoulder. They implemented a lane closure and after cones had been placed and the matrix signs switched on, their police car was struck by a heavy goods vehicle causing it to burst into flames. Chris was alone in the police car at the time and he was killed instantly.
Read more about other Essex officers and employees who died in the execution of their duty on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
Obituaries
David (Bryan) Morris
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague David (Bryan) Morris who retired as an Inspector in 1977 and served with the Metropolitan Police, transferred to Essex where he served at Colchester & CIU. He passed away on the 27th January 2023 aged 94 years.