ESSEX Police are appealing for information following two incidents at a nightclub in Epping in the early hours of this morning, January 1.

Officers initially attended following reports that a teenager had been in a verbal exchange with a group of men on the dance floor of Club 195 just before 1.20am.

He was then stabbed once in the stomach and the group of men left the dance floor. The victim now remains in stable condition in hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

A knife has been recovered from a street nearby and will be sent away for forensic testing, but it is unknown if this was the weapon used in the attack.

Later this morning, at around 3.30am, police received reports of an assault in the street outside the club, which left a teenager unconscious and with several teeth missing.

Their enquiries are ongoing.

They do not believe that these two incidents are linked, but would encourage anyone who was out celebrating New Year’s Eve at Club 195 to contact them with any information if you saw either of these occur.

Please call Loughton CID on 101 and quote the crime reference number 42/156/19 for the stabbing or 42/161/19 for the assault.

You can also call Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The post Stabbing and assault in new year night of disorder in Epping appeared first on Your Harlow.

ESSEX Police would like to talk to Ashley Boyce, 24, from Loughton, for failing to answer bail in connection with a possession of a knife.

Boyce is 5ft 8ins, has a scar on his top left arm and has links to Harlow, Canning Town, the London borough of Havering, Dagenham, Plaistow and Beckton.

We would urge people not to approach him but to call Harlow police station on 101.

Alternatively you can call Crimerstoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The post Man with links to Harlow wanted by police appeared first on Your Harlow.

THE East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) has relaunched its Don’t Choose to Abuse campaign, highlighting the abuse ambulance staff receive ­­– and the consequences for perpetrators.

During 2017-18 there were more than 1,000 incidents reported by ambulance staff, including 252 incidents of physical abuse and intimidation and eight incidents where weapons were used.

The campaign has been re-launched across the region (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk) with a poster campaign going out in the new year to pubs, licensed premises and other public places, reminding people that assaulting ambulance crew members can result in a prison sentence of up to 12 months.

A recent case at Cambridge Crown Court highlighted the kind of violence crews can face. Jordan Hurst was sentenced to two years in prison for a rampage in Cambridge in July last year, where he assaulted a van driver, a cyclist, a police officer and two paramedics called to the scene. He threatened and abused one crew member, and attempted to trap his leg in the door of the ambulance before punching the other crew member.

Dorothy Hosein, Chief Executive of EEAST said: “No-one should have to face abuse as part of their job, but when ambulance crews and call-handlers, who are there to help, are abused it’s totally unacceptable.

“Some members of our staff have reported they receive some form of abuse almost daily. This can have a cumulative effect on people’s wellbeing, and part of our campaign is telling staff that if they receive abuse from members of the public, they will be supported.

“We welcome the strengthening of the law, and will support our staff in reporting abuse and pressing for the strongest penalties.

“So, while we appreciate that we often deal with people under difficult circumstances, we would like to remind everyone they have a choice.
“Don’t choose to abuse – the consequences can be serious.”

The post Ambulance service launch “Don’t choose to abuse” campaign appeared first on Your Harlow.

ESSEX Police conducted a drugs raid on a property off Fifth Avenue in Harlow.

PCSO Laura Cartwight told followers on social media “Harlow Community Policing Team (CPT) this morning has carried out a drugs warrant on a property in Harlow.

“Officers from the force support unit and a doghandler joined us in what was a successful operation.

“One male is now in custody for drug and other offences”.

The post Essex Police conduct drugs raid off Fifth Avenue. appeared first on Your Harlow.

A BAR in Epping has had its licence suspended today (Friday, January 4) following concerns by police about incidents of violence at, or in the vicinity of, the premises.

Essex Police applied for a review of the licence for Club 195 following a number of incidents across 2018.

Epping Forest District Council’s licencing sub-committee has suspended the licence today and it comes in with immediate effect.

A full hearing to review Club 195’s licence will take place in due course at which Essex Police will ask for the licence to be revoked.

The post Club 195 in Epping has its licence suspended appeared first on Your Harlow.

“I hope this acts as a wake-up call and worries the public, because it worries us” – that’s the message from our Head of Roads Policing after more than 300 people were arrested during our Christmas anti-drink and drug driving campaign.

The campaign ran during the month of December and saw 313 people arrested – 140 on suspicion of drink driving, 139 on suspicion of drug driving, and 34 for failing to provide a specimen.

The total number of arrests is more than double the 148 from the same time in 2017.
Adam Pipe, Head of Roads Policing for Essex Police, said: “This is an unprecedented number of arrests for a drink and drug driving campaign period, let alone any other month.

“To have, on average, 10 people a day arrested for drink or drug driving related offences is frightening enough but I actually think that’s only the tip of the iceberg.

“What is particularly scary is that it seems people are taking a chance because they think they can get away with it. These figures show they can’t.

“I’ve never seen this many people arrested for these offences in one month. I hope it acts as a wake-up call and worries the public, because it worries us.”

Of particular concern has been the big increase in the number of people arrested on suspicion of drug driving which reflects the trend from across the whole of the year.

There were 754 drug driving arrests in 2017 but in 2018 that had risen to 1,039, and November saw more people arrested on suspicion of drug driving than drink driving for the first time ever.

Mr Pipe added: “I don’t think people are quite grasping the full extent of the danger drug driving poses.

“Our Serious Collision Investigation Unit, which investigates the most serious crashes, has seen a rise in the number of incidents where someone has been killed or seriously injured where drugs are a factor.

“And we also have evidence that drug driving is linked to more serious criminal activity.

“Last year we carried out a study of a sample of people arrested on suspicion of drug driving and out of 231 people arrested, 56 percent had been arrested before.

“We also found that 48 percent of those who’d been arrested before had been so in connection with serious crimes including those linked to violence.

“This makes our work to tackle drug drivers even more important. It’s not only making our roads safer, but it’s helping to tackle and disrupt all sorts of other forms of crime.”

During our month-long Christmas campaign officers from the Roads Policing Unit and the Casualty Reduction Unit carried out a number of proactive, targeted operations and days of enforcement.

This was supplemented by work from local policing officers as well as those from the Special Constabulary, and intelligence and information from the public.

Mr Pipe said this help from the public is crucial: “I believe people in Essex are as disgusted by drink and drug driving as we are. You support the work we do by helping us identify those drivers who are flouting the law.

“This information is invaluable and I want to thank you for it. Anyone who calls in with information about a drink or drug driver is helping to make Essex a safer place and I need your support to continue.

“Our Christmas campaign may have finished but our work to tackle drink and drug driving doesn’t stop. We continue to work with the Safer Essex Roads Partnership, and other partners, to raise awareness of the issue and get those who break the law, off the road.

“Our message for 2019 is drive safe, drive sober.”

If you have information about a drink or drug driver you can call us on 101 or 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The post Essex Police express deep concerns over drink and drug figures over Christmas appeared first on Your Harlow.

Update: 1800 hrs

DETECTIVES, investigating a serious assault in which a man suffered injuries to his face and hands, are looking to trace a man they want to speak to in connection with the incident.

The incident happened between Market Street and the Seeleys between 9.45pm and 9.50pm on Friday, June 29.

The victim saw a fight taking place between a group of men in the street outside the Marquis of Granby pub on Market Street.

One of the men who had originally been fighting then ran at the victim. As the victim moved away from the fight, a number of men, believed to have been involved in the original disturbance, followed him and assaulted him. We believe that the men then left the scene in a car.

The victim was taken to hospital with injuries to his face and hands and he is now recovering at home.

The man we are looking to speak to is described as slim, white, with short blond hair. T

If you have information please call 101 and ask for Harlow CID. The crime reference number for this incident is 42/91923/18.

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

*A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm with intent in connection with the incident. He has been released on bail while enquiries continue.

The post Man wanted over assault in Old Harlow appeared first on Your Harlow.

ESSEX Police has issued a warning over bogus callers in Harlow.

The Harlow Community Policing Team issued the warning on social media

“There have been reports of bogus callers and a distraction burglary in the Hare Street and Little Parndon ward this morning.

“Two white males described as aged in their 30’s stated they had attended the address to fix guttering.

“Please do not let strangers into your home – call the police if suspicious”.

The post Police warning over distraction burglaries in Harlow appeared first on Your Harlow.

BENJAMIN Johnston, 41, of Station Road, Blackpool, is wanted in connection with an assault in which a woman suffered a fractured leg.

The incident occurred in Blackpool on March 4th 2018.

Johnston is believed to be in the Harlow area, although he also has links to Blackburn.

Police are now urging anybody who has heard from him or knows where he is to contact them as soon as possible.

PC Stephen Rotherham, of Blackpool Police, said: “We would like to trace Mr Johnston in connection with a nasty assault. We would urge anybody who has seen him, or who knows where he may be, to get in touch.”

He is described as white, around 5ft 10ins tall, with dark brown hair and brown eyes.

Anybody with information is asked to email 4989@lancashire.pnn.police.uk.

The post Man wanted for assault on woman in Blackpool could be in Harlow appeared first on Your Harlow.

ESSEX Police are investigating following a report a woman had been raped at an address in Northbrooks, Harlow on Monday, January 7.

The victim is being supported by specialist officers and our enquiries are ongoing.

We do not believe there is a risk to the wider public.

A 22 year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of rape and is currently on custody.

If you have any information about the incident please contact us on 101 quoting incident 661 of January 8 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The post Police investigate rape in Northbrooks appeared first on Your Harlow.

THREE more drivers have been convicted following the summer DriveSafeDriveSober anti-drink and drug driving campaign.

A total of 205 people were arrested during the campaign which highlighted how alcohol and drugs can impair your reactions when driving.

The consequences of this can be fatal.

The police message is DriveSafeDriveSober.

The drivers convicted are:

Pawel Pawloski, 29, of Tanys Dell, Harlow:
– Arrested at 10.37pm on July 6 in The Oakes Retail Park, Harlow;
– Disqualified for 12 months, fined £300, £85 costs, £30 victim surcharge for drink driving;
– Licence endorsed for driving with no insurance.

Andrew Burrows, 52, of Mill Lane, High Ongar:
– Arrested at 4.20pm on July 5 in Romford Road, Ongar;
– Disqualfied for 18 months, fined £80 for drug driving;
– Drugs forfeited, fined £120, £85 costs, £30 victim surcharge for possession of cocaine.

Daniel Hampton, 29, of Church Road, Stansted:
– Arrested at 3.32pm on July 13 in High Road, Epping;
– Disqualified for 22 months, 130 hours unpaid work, £85 costs for drug driving.

The post Harlow man caught as part of drink-driving campaign appeared first on Your Harlow.

A HARLOW man has escaped jail but was fined £1,000 for breaking another man’s nose.

Kevin Chapman, aged 45, of Abbotsweld, Harlow pled guilty at Chelmsford magistrates court.

The offence was described in court as “an unprovoked attack where a broken nose was sustained”.

On 08/11/2018 at Harlow assaulted a male, thereby occasioning him, actual bodily harm
Contrary to section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.

Chapman was committed to prison for 18 weeks, suspended for 12 months.
Unpaid Work Requirement: Carry out unpaid work for 200 hours within the next twelve months.
He was also fined £1,000.00

The post Harlow man fined £1,000 after breaking another man’s nose appeared first on Your Harlow.

A HARLOW man has pleaded guilty to a number of public order charges in the Church Langley area.

Leon Oxenham, aged 28, of Malkin Drive, Church Langley, Harlow pled guilty to the following.

On 02/12/2018 at Harlow had with you, without good reason or lawful authority, in a public place namely Malkin Drive an article which had a blade or was sharply pointed, namely a kitchen knife.

On or About 02/12/2018 at Harlow used or threatened unlawful violence towards other persons and your conduct was such as would cause a person of reasonable firmness present at the scene to fear for his personal safety.

On 02/12/2018 assaulted a police constable, an emergency worker, acting in the exercise of his powers.

Oxenham was released on unconditional bail and will reappear for sentencing on February 9th, 2019.

The post Church Langley man pleads guilty to public order offences appeared first on Your Harlow.

TWO men and a teenage boy have been collectively sentenced to more than 13 years in prison following an aggravated burglary in Harlow.

One of the men, armed with a claw hammer, had broken into a house in Quarry Springs at 1.53am on October 23, 2018.

Upon making his way downstairs to the living room to let in his two associates, who were waiting outside the back door, he disturbed the resident of the house, a man aged in his 50s, who had been reading in the living room.

The victim was threatened and then attacked with the claw hammer when he refused to open the locked back door. He relented, and the second man, who was armed with a wooden bat, and the teenage boy entered the property.

The victim was forced back into the living room, where all three burglars began attacking him with the hammer and bat, as well as punching him.

His mouth was then taped shut to prevent him from making any noise.

After a neighbour heard the commotion of the assault, they called the police and our officers attended before the trio could leave the property.

All three were arrested at the scene on suspicion of aggravated burglary and assault causing actual bodily harm. Upon searching the house, a number of weapons, including a claw hammer, a wooden bat and a pair of scissors were recovered.

Caleb Oduro, 19, and Rawlings Okonedo, 18, both residents of Broadfields, Harlow pleaded guilty to all charges against them at an earlier hearing. The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also pleaded guilty.

Oduro also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis.

Oduro and Akonedo were both handed five years in prison for aggravated burglary, and two years for causing actual bodily harm, which will run concurrently. A further month will run concurrently for Oduro following the possession of cannabis charge.

The 17-year-old was sentenced to 44-months for aggravated burglary. All of his other sentences will run concurrently including: six months for causing actual bodily harm, ten months for robbery, four months for threatening with a blade and four months for being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

They were sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday, January 10.

The post Two men and teenage boy sentenced to more than 13 years prison following aggravated burglary in Harlow. appeared first on Your Harlow.

JAIL sentences under six months should be scrapped for most crimes, prisons minister Rory Stewart has insisted.

The controversial move would mean burglars and nearly all shoplifters would escape jail for their crimes.

Mr Stewart said the Ministry of Justice was ‘looking very carefully’ at imposing a new requirement on courts in England and Wales which would largely prevent them from sending offenders to jail for less than six months. The new restrictions could even apply to longer sentences, he indicated.

Currently, 30,000 criminals a year are imprisoned for less than six months. Only offenders convicted of violence or sex crimes would be excluded from the new measures, which would free up 4,000 prison places at any one time.

Mr Stewart insisted the duration of the sentences was ‘too short to heal’ offenders.

It would be modelled on Scotland which has already introduced a bar on sentences under three months and is extending it to those under 12 months. ‘This is something we’re definitely looking at,’ Mr Stewart told the Daily Telegraph.

‘We are looking very carefully at a presumption against sentences of under six months and whether we can match or go further than [that].’

He admitted it was likely to provoke a backlash against ‘soft justice’ in the Conservative Party, which is traditionally seen as the ‘party of law and order’.

‘We have to reassure the public, reassure colleagues and think it through to make sure we exclude people who have committed violent crimes and sex offences to get the right balance,’ he said.

Mr Stewart said ‘very short’ jail terms were ‘long enough to damage you and not long enough to heal you’, pointing to evidence of lower re-offending rates after community sentences. ‘You bring somebody in for three or four weeks, they lose their house, they lose their job, they lose their family, they lose their reputation,’ he added.

‘In my responsibility to protect the public, the public are safer if we have a good community sentence rather than putting people in prison for short sentences and it will also relieve a lot of pressure on these prisons.’

In 2017, 65,000 offenders were jailed and just under half received sentences of six months or under. Nearly seven out of ten (68 per cent) of the 23,645 offenders jailed for theft in 2017 received sentences of less than six months, and 98 per cent of the 11,700 shoplifters sentenced. Just under 6 per cent of house burglaries resulted in jail sentences below six months.

The new moves are due to be revealed later this year and will require a change in the law.

Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust and a former prison governor, said: ‘A presumption against sentences of six months is a good idea and ministers should be congratulated in having the political courage to start the debate on it.’

The post Jail sentences under six months could be scrapped appeared first on Your Harlow.

THE NSPCC is calling on the government to recognise the 6,091 children living with domestic abuse in Essex as victims under law.

The government will miss an opportunity to protect children from the effects of domestic abuse if it ignores calls to recognise them as victims in their own right, the charity has said.

The Government’s proposed new definition of domestic abuse ignores the effect growing up in abusive households has on children, despite it being a factor in more than half of child protection assessments across England last year.

The children’s charity is urging the Government to publish its Domestic Violence and Abuse White Paper without delay and recognise children as victims in its domestic abuse laws.
A consultation closed last May but the government have yet to publish the outcome.*

The NSPCC received 7,377 contacts to its Helpline from members of the public concerned about children in domestic abuse situations in 2017/18.

Department for Education figures show domestic violence was a factor in 246,720 child protection assessments across England in 2017/18, leaving potentially a quarter of a million child victims unrecognised by the justice system.** In Essex, it was a factor in 6,091 assessments.

Legal recognition as victims of domestic abuse would give children greater explicit protection through domestic abuse protection orders, would help professionals to take action to protect children at risk, and would help authorities ensure there are specific services to help young people overcome the trauma of exposure to domestic abuse.

The call is backed by brothers Luke and Ryan Hart whose father murdered their mother and sister in 2016 after two decades of domestic abuse.

Ryan said: “We didn’t recognise it as abuse because there was never any violence but it was coercive control, financial, emotional, psychological abuse.

“What is often missed is the effects of living in that environment has on kids, growing up not only witnessing abuse but experiencing it day in and day out, how that affects us growing up and into adult life.

“Children living with domestic abuse are not just witnesses to the abuse, they are victims themselves. Luke and I know first-hand the psychological effects, emotional effects can have on you by seeing someone you love being a victim of abuse.”

Services such as the NSPCC’s Domestic Abuse, Recovering Together (DART) help children and mothers recover from domestic abuse together and can help minimise the long term impact domestic abuse has on child victims.

Almudena Lara, Head of Policy at the NSPCC, said: “It is quite astonishing that the government is dragging its feet when deciding whether to recognise young people as victims when almost a quarter of a million children that we know of are living with domestic abuse in England alone.

“As well as the day-to-day distress that living with domestic abuse creates, it can cause long-term problems into adulthood that can only be addressed through targeted services that understand the complex trauma children living with domestic abuse experience.

“For this to be done effectively we need government to open their eyes to the harm domestic abuse has on children and give them victim status in the upcoming White Paper to ensure they receive the services they need.”

Adults concerned about a child living with domestic abuse can contact the NSPCC Helpline confidentially for advice and support on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk

The post Thousands of Essex children exposed to domestic abuse appeared first on Your Harlow.

A MUCH Hadham man has been sentenced in connection with an incident where several sheep were attacked and killed by two dogs.

John Coughlan, aged 55, from Widford Road, appeared at North and East Herts Magistrate’s Court on Thursday (January 10) having been charged with two counts of dogs being dangerously out of control and two counts of being the owner of dogs worrying livestock.

The charges relate to an incident which occurred in Much Hadham during the early morning of March 18, 2018, where the two dogs had escaped from a property.

Coughlan was given a 12 month community order and instructed to complete 80 hours unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £985 in fines and costs, as well as paying compensation to two victims.

Additionally, he was given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) which bans him from being in custody or control of any dog for three years. If breached, he could face a custodial sentence.

Coughlan was convicted of similar offences back in 2016.

Sergeant Duncan Wallace said: “We are particularly pleased to have secured the Criminal Behaviour Order, as it is believed to be the first in the country to relate to dogs attacking sheep.

“Sheep worrying and offences involving the control of dogs have a significant financial and emotional impact on farmers and the wider rural community as a whole. I hope this case proves that we take all aspects of rural crime very seriously and will seek to bring perpetrators to justice.”

The post Much Hadham man sentenced after sheep attacked and killed by dogs appeared first on Your Harlow.

A MAN has been jailed for six years for attempting to rape a vulnerable woman.

Ebbs Artez, 25, came across the victim when he saw her alone outside a bar in Post Office Walk, Harlow, in the early hours of May 19.

He led her through the town centre and attempted to rape her in the car park of The Water Gardens.

Artez, of Milwards, Harlow, was quickly identified and arrested.

He denied a charge of attempted rape and stood trial at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 12.

He was found guilty by a jury on Thursday, November 22 and jailed for six years on Friday, January 11.

He was also put on the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.

The post Man jailed for six years after attempting to rape vulnerable woman in town centre appeared first on Your Harlow.

ESSEX Police are no longer looking for Daniel Pierce who we wanted to speak to in connection with allegations of stalking.

Daniel Pierce, 30, of New North Road, Ilford has been charged with harassment.

He has been bailed until February 13 to appear at Chelmsford Magistrate’s Court.

The post Police in Harlow no longer looking for Daniel Pierce appeared first on Your Harlow.

THE mother of a man accused of stabbing his partner 173 times had warned police to check on them hours before, a court has heard reports the BBC.

Jake Neate, 37, is accused of the “frenzied attack” on Suzanne Brown, at their Essex home on 16 December 2017.

Miss Brown, 34, died at the scene, in Mountbatten Court, Braintree.

Suzanne Brown was brought up in the west of Harlow and attended Stewards Academy.

Janet Neate said her son, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was a “delicate soul” but had recently come off his medication.

He has been found unfit to stand trial.

A murder trial is being held at Chelmsford Crown Court but Mr Neate, who remains in a psychiatric hospital, has not entered a plea and cannot attend.

He told police he had killed Miss Brown when they found him covered in blood and wearing only his boxer shorts and socks, the jury heard.

In a statement to the court Janet Neate said her son, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, had come off his medication a few months before the killing due to health risks and she had asked for him to be treated in hospital during the withdrawal.

She said: “I believe if his medication withdrawal had been managed properly Sue would still be with us. Jake had never been violent before and he is or was a delicate soul.”

The jury was played Mrs Neate’s call to Essex Police raising her fears for Miss Brown’s safety after her son’s girlfriend had rung her to say Mr Neate was hurting her before the phone call was cut off.

Mrs Neate, who was travelling in Spain at the time, said she had called Braintree Police Station at 21:20 GMT, having initially tried Mr Neate’s mental health team, but after her husband called an hour and a half later officers had still not attended the property.

She had initially called Mr Neate’s social worker but did not receive an answer before trying the local mental health crisis team who had told her they were unable to help, the jury heard.

The post Murder trial in case of former Harlow woman begins appeared first on Your Harlow.