To stay up to date on the latest news and events Subscribe to our Newsletter Navigation Home 01245 291600pfcc@essex.police.ukKelvedon Park, London Rd, Rivenhall, Witham CM8 3HB Email NotificationTo sign up for email notifications of the latest news and updates A MAN has been jailed for 12 years for a number of child sexual offences following a long and detailed Essex Police investigation We started our enquiries in October 2020 after receiving allegations of sexual assault involving two young girls The friend’s dad then contacted social services to report their concerns He answered no comment throughout his initial interview and was released while enquiries continued During subsequent interviews he denied the allegations against him He was charged with 15 offences and his trial was heard at Basildon Crown Court the jury returned unanimous guilty verdicts in relation to:Three counts of sexual assault of a childThree counts of sexual activity with a childAssault of a child under 13 by penetrationCausing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.He was acquitted in relation to the other seven offences On Friday 2 May at the same court the 38-year-old was sentenced by Judge Graham for terms ranging from six months to 12 years He will be subject to a restraining order and will be on the sex offenders register for life Investigating officer Detective Constable Emily Hulme said: “I want to pay tribute to the survivors in this case “They reported the abuse and then were incredibly patient throughout this painstaking investigation “I hope this sentence gives them some closure as they rebuild their lives “Hexter’s abuse was horrific and he has rightly received a lengthy prison sentence “We have an unwavering commitment to tackling violence against women and girls and will thoroughly investigate all allegations reported to us.” Synergy Essex offers independent and specialised services for individuals who have experienced rape or sexual abuse in Essex Synergy Essex is a partnership of three services; Centre for Action on Rape and Abuse (CARA) SERICC Rape and Sexual Abuse Specialist Service and Southend-on-Sea Rape Crisis (SOS Rape Crisis) The services provided by Synergy Essex are independent of the police This ensures individuals can seek help whether they choose to report the incident or not This could be in relation to something that happened recently or in the past Survivors and victims can access support by reaching out on their own or through a referral from someone they trust people of all ages can benefit from specialised emotional support they offer the help of an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA) The advisers can guide and support them through the criminal justice process To learn more about the services available Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" OFFICERS are searching for Sheila Bateman who’s missing in Chafford Hundred is described as 5ft 6ins tall and slim with long grey hair in a bun and we believe she is wearing a light blue tracksuit She was reported missing at around 6pm from the Swallow Close area We’re worried about her and need to find her to make sure she’s ok or have any information about where she is please call 999 quoting incident 991 of 20 February ESSEX Police are looking for Sheila Bateman who is missing from the Chafford Hundred area She hasn’t been seen since early this morning (Tuesday 18 February) We believe she is in Chafford Hundred or Grays We’re worried about her and need to find her and make sure she is okay If you see Sheila or know where she is please contact us on 101 and quote incident 233 of 18 February A RESTAURANT has been given the go ahead to stay open up to 1am despite opposition from councillors and residents reports the Local Democracy Reporter Chafford Hundred formerly opened at noon and shut no later than midnight but Thurrock’s licensing committee has given the go ahead for the restaurant to stay open from 11am to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays Ward councillors and residents objected to the licence extension on the grounds of noise and nuisance from customers leaving the restaurant late at night There were also concerns over increased parking pressures Residents claimed there was “little respect given to them or their families by the restaurant owner or its patrons and the anti-social behaviour was affecting the well-being of the residents” The restaurant had been allowed to stay open in the past until 2am agent David Dadds told residents: “You might move next to a pub that’s fairly quiet and it might then change its tenancy and becomes much more popular If you know it has a licence until 2am then you know potentially it could trade to 2am “Every resident here has come after we have been there with a licence to 2am in that location That location has been approved for possibly 16 years to those hours.” Despite granting the application the council made it clear any extra noise and nuisance could mean a licence review the licensing sub-committee reminded the premises licence holder that complaints of noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour were always taken seriously and noted that should any future issues arise from the operation of this licence then residents or responsible authorities could make an application for a licence review at any time.” The committee heard there had been no complaints against the restaurant from police or environmental health The license lapsed for administrative reasons and has been running on an application for a basic 11pm closing time A HEALTH club owned by a Dragon’s Den star wants to build three new courts to cater for a growing sports trend reports the Local Democracy Reporter Chafford Hundred has submitted an application to Thurrock Council to build three floodlit padel courts on a disused tennis court area Padel is a fast-growing racquet sport that combines elements of tennis and squash Players use solid racquets to hit a smaller owned by Dragon’s Den star Duncan Bannatyne making it suitable for players of all ages and fitness levels” the club said: “The benefits of padel include improved cardiovascular fitness accessible way to stay active while enjoying friendly competition.” Originally popular in Spain and other European countries The game appeals to a wide range of ages and skill levels due to its relatively simple rules and lower impact compared to other racquet sports The three 20metre long by 10metre wide courts will be enclosed with a combination glass and mesh wall and fence panels supported by steel posts with a synthetic turf play surface The padel courts will be covered by a fabric canopy made from a polyester cloth allowing 60 per cent of light through The application includes a 28-space car park The club said: “The proposed padel courts will replace the existing disused tennis courts at Bannatyne Health Club and would be located close to the existing health club building that provides changing accommodation and ancillary facilities “This location will afford convenient maintenance and emergency access as well and providing for suitable management The proposal design is complementary to its local environment and would introduce minimal visual impact and does not create unacceptable impacts to adjacent public areas or to the amenity of residential neighbours.” Categories: HealthLocations: Borough of Thurrock AN inquest has been opened into the death of a second man killed in a Valentine’s Day collision on the A13 in Rainham reports the Romford Recorder A coroner named the man as 45-year-old Kalin Hadzhiev a Bulgarian man who lived in Swiftsure Road https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/24989190.a13-rainham-valentines-day-crash-victim-named-court/?ref=ebbn&nid=2308&u=9b10f0ddf023b5714442cf9e0fbe4f38&date=070325 AN arrest has been made and the investigation is progressing after an aggravated burglary at a shop in Chafford Hundred A police spokesperson said: “Our officers were called to a Tesco Express store shortly before 7pm yesterday (Wednesday 4 September) were making threats to staff and customers while attempting to steal alcohol and cigarettes It was further reported one of the suspects smashed a bottle two off-duty officers were near to the scene and managed to detain one of the suspects as they made off remains in custody for questioning on suspicion of aggravated burglary “Enquiries are ongoing to trace two outstanding suspects” “We know this was a disturbing and frightening incident for both the staff and customers who witnessed and suffered these threats.“They absolutely should not have to fall victim to incidents like this which is why we are continuing a full and forensic investigation into this incident.“I would ask anyone who may have any information to please reach out to us and get in touch.“Any detail Anyone with information should contact us as soon as possible You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service which is available 24 hours-a-day It can be found at the bottom right of our homepage at www.essex.police.uk Visit www.essex.police.uk/digital101 to find out more about our website reporting services A MAN has been charged in connection with a serious incident at Chafford Hundred railway station which left two people injured Officers had been called to reports of a group of people involved in a fight at around 8.15pm on Thursday (18 July) their injuries were not described as life-threatening Warrants were carried out in Chafford Hundred and Grays overnight on Saturday into Sunday and two men were arrested One of those men – 25 year-old Matthew Page Chafford Hundred – has now been charged with violent disorder and possession of an offensive weapon in a public space He is due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court this morning (Monday 22 July).The other man arrested – a 53 year-old from Grays – has been released on bail until 2 September Our enquiries into this incident are ongoing and we need anyone with information to come forward Visit www.essex.police.uk/digital101 to find out more about our website reporting services.Alternatively If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity Crimestoppers by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111 ESSEX Police is appealing for witnesses or dash cam footage following a collision in Grays It was reported that a mother and daughter were walking on the pavement in Warren Lane Chafford Hundred at 8.30pm on Monday 22 July when they were approached from behind by a person on an e-scooter He was wearing glasses and a grey tracksuit dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service service which is available 24 hours-a-day If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity on Twitter at @CrimestoppersUK Please quote collision incident 1470945 when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible THE family of a man killed in a drive-by shooting outside a party have thanked our officers after two men were jailed for a total of at least 64 years for his murder was gunned down after leaving a party in Roydon they were sentenced to life imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court.Mr Powell’s sister said: “I would like to thank the team from Essex Police involved in bringing these two murderers to court to face justice “I know there was a lot of hard work involved in bringing them to trial.“It has been a long and painful experience for us all since Robert was killed in 2020 but I am glad two of the people responsible were not able to hide forever.” a high-level drug dealer and organised criminal slipped out of the country and went on the run after organising and carrying out the execution of Mr Powell Mr Powell left the party on foot alongside his two sons.Oppong a Ford Kuga carrying Oppong pulled up alongside Mr Powell A gunman exited the vehicle and shot Mr Powell eight times before swiftly returning to the car and fleeing the scene A shot passed through Mr Powell and hit two nearby women who acted a spotter in a nearby Toyota Prius was also caught on CCTV quickly fleeing the scene.A third vehicle was spotted travelling to the scene in convoy with the Prius and was used as a support vehicle Both vehicles were there to assist the gunman in the Kuga in carrying out the hit.All three vehicles were used solely for the purpose of carrying out the plot to execute Mr Powell An investigation was promptly launched and led by detectives within our Serious Crime Directorate the Kuga was taken to an industrial estate in Epping followed alongside the Zafira.The Kuga was dumped and the occupants left the industrial estate in the Zafira Shah was caught on CCTV returning to his home address in Kelvedon Hatch in the Prius later that morning.Our investigation – together with the National Crime Agency’s successful cracking of EncroChat an encrypted messaging service largely used by organised criminals – established Oppong had likely been out to get Mr Powell the suspects had planned an aborted attack on the victim.Other encrypted messages included a discussion about handguns and a specific type of 9mm ammunition – the same type used to kill Mr Powell The EncroChat conversations further implicated Oppong in a conspiracy to supply cocaine and transfer criminal profits Both Oppong and Shah fled the country in the days following the killing and were eventually apprehended thanks to extensive work by Essex Police with the assistance of partners including the National Crime Agency.Oppong was located in Morocco in September 2022 after trying to enter the country using false documents He was extradited back to the UK in June 2023 Shah was located in Spain in December 2022 and extradited back to the UK in February 2023.Both stood trial charged with murder and possession of a firearm.Oppong was further charged with causing grievous bodily harm and possessing a prohibited weapon.Both defendants were convicted on all charges on Tuesday 28 May.Oppong admitted a charge of conspiring to supply Class A drugs shortly before the trial Oppong will serve a minimum term of 38 years until he can be considered for parole We know others were likely involved in the murder and our investigation is ongoing.With the support of the NCA and law enforcement agencies abroad was recently arrested in Spain in connection with our enquiries brought back to the UK yesterday (Thursday 30 May) and charged with murder said: “Today marks a significant milestone in what has been a four-year effort to bring two dangerous killers to justice “Robert Powell was callously executed in a carefully organised drive-by shooting in Roydon which was conducted by a dedicated team of officers and staff we have sought justice and answers for Robert’s family restrained and dignified throughout what has been a traumatic process for them I would first pay tribute to them and I hope they take a small degree of solace from the fact two of the people responsible for murdering Robert have been brought to justice.“They have been left to pick up the pieces after their lives were shattered by the actions of Nana Oppong and Israar Shah that day.“Oppong wanted Robert dead and formed a plan to murder him.“He has refused at every turn to accept any responsibility for his actions in arranging this killing “Shah lied about his presence at the scene telling the jury he was there to deal drugs “These sentences do not mark the end of our investigation others were likely involved in Robert’s murder and we will continue to work to see them identified and arrested.” Paying tribute to Mr Powell his sister said: “Robert was my younger brother father to three children and grandfather to two grandchildren they were just babies when he was murdered.“I look back to our childhood where we would go over to Springfield Park “I thought we would have grown old with each other look after our mother and support each other.“Now he is gone and the main responsibility for our mother has fallen to me she has mobility issues and is generally quiet frail “I see her listening to old voice messages she has from him on her phone “Robert’s death has fractured my family and it now feels broken.“Family events are no longer what they used to be Robert was a big part of this such as a birthday or anniversary “We would all get together; he would then turn up and was the life and soul “The talk of Uncle Robert coming to an event such as a birthday would get the kids all excited as they loved being around him.“Robert was such a family orientated person; he loved being around us all This is now gone and get togethers are not the same “To the two people who have been convicted of Robert’s death: We still have so many unanswered questions.“The main one being: Why did you do this “These questions cause us more pain and make this whole situation worse.“Firstly this meant we were constantly wondering when you would be found.“Seeing a call from the police would have us hoping that you had been located and were on your way home my family and the friends of Robert live part of this nightmare longer than we should have and ripples of that are still being felt today.“I have attended court every day to hear what you have had to say and how you say you were not involved in Robert’s death “I have heard how Robert died more than a sister should during this trial our family should never have to go through that “Events from that night being talked about in court brought back memories of Robert dying in the hospital “It takes me two hours to get to court every day My journey involves me having to pass the hospital where Robert died then pass the cemetery where he rests with my other brother and Grandad along with what is said during it just feels me with sadness “I haven’t seen any remorse from either of you throughout this time I only hope as you spend the best years of your life in prison you come to realise the implications you have had on mine LABOUR supporters and councillors in Chafford Hundred welcomed their party’s battle bus when it arrived in the borough on the opening day of a national tour today (Saturday,1 June) Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner took centre stage as the coach pulled in for a local stop after leaving Uxbridge on a 5,000-mile journey to battleground seats across the country Ms Rayner said the focus of the campaign would be to confront the Conservatives’ levelling-up commitment the Tories have failed to do what they promised and held back Britain’s potential Levelling up was a phoney gimmick which has now been abandoned to fund mandatory national service.  “No more desperate gimmicks or promises that can’t be met This changed Labour Party will do the hard yards to get our economy growing and release Britain’s untapped strengths.”  A CHILDREN’S home in Chafford Hundred has been given the go-ahead following a previous planning refusal Five children with physical and learning disabilities will be accommodated at the property in Catharine Close after permitted development rights were approved A previous application last year was refused as a garage was initially included in the plan to accommodate children aged between seven and 17 in the five-bedroom detached house despite having no planning permission for change of use The residents would share facilities such a bathroom and garden and as such planning officers said they would live in a similar manner to tenants within a residential property They added: “The level of activity at the site in association with proposed use would not be materially different to the existing use of this site and will not exceed six people.” The council received comments from The Essex Police Designing out Crime Office about the application requesting meeting with the applicant.The nature of police concerns was not revealed A report by planning officers said: “Although matters of the health and wellbeing of any future occupiers of the property are important they would fall outside the scope of the consideration of this type of application planning officer advised for the meeting to be arranged independently between the applicant and Designing out Crime Officer/Crime Prevention Tactical Advisor from Essex Police.” project delivery manager for Safe As Houses Property Investments was also advised to arrange a meeting with Thurrock Council’s children’s services team Last year it was reported Thurrock Council is spending £4 million a year caring for just ten children with special needs A report to cabinet also outlined expected increases in children with autism youngsters with speech and language difficulties and those with learning difficulties over the next five years Many such children require specialist accommodation Caring for vulnerable children costs between £255,650 per year up to £842,976 per year c2c will be starting an upgrade of Upminster and Chafford Hundred stations planned to commence this month the four-month project involves modernisation of the main booking hall redecoration and a new ceiling to make the area more inviting for customers which is also expected to last for four months involves the refurbishment of the booking hall and waiting areas to make the station lighter and easier for people to buy their tickets The planned works follow the recent upgrades to Grays and Ockendon stations and the lower ticket hall at Upminster which are part of a £17m plan to transform all the stations on the c2c route c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “The refurbishment of two of our key stations are part of a long term plan to transform the buildings and improve the facilities for our customers We have already made significant improvements at a number of our other stations which have been received very positively by customers This is the next step in our programme of upgrades to stations all along the c2c route.” For the duration of the work at Upminster and Chafford Hundred special arrangements will be made to allow access to both main ticket halls and booking offices Customers will also be able to access Upminster’s Platform 1 directly from the car park during the morning peak via the side entrance to ensure they will not face a detour at the busiest times Customers with accessibility requirements will be able to use an intercom to gain access at any time at both stations Rail Business Daily’s market leading news and profile enhancement services enable your business to tell your story to the wider rail community Engage with thousands of readers via our rail news platforms including the hugely popular 7am newsletter rail news website and Rail Director magazine you agree to us sending you emails on behalf of railbusinessdaily.com A FIFTEEN year jail term has been handed to a man found guilty of a serious assault in Chafford Hundred last year was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a knife or bladed article Police were called to reports of an assault in Cumberland Road Chafford Hundred at around 2.50pm on Sunday August 27 and found a man in his 40s with stab wounds to his body He was taken to hospital for treatment for his injuries Abuzet was arrested nearby a short time later on suspicion of GBH with intent He appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article He was then remanded in custody and pleaded not guilty to the charges on October 13 at Basildon Crown Court he was also issued with a restraining order meaning he cannot contact the victim He said: “This assault had a significant impact on those involved and today’s result will allow the victim and his family to move on “This case is just one example of how Essex Police tirelessly work to bring offenders to justice and ensure they are placed before a court to face the consequences of their actions.” Now lets get him into a Labour camp working 7 days a week for the full fifteen years When released send him back to country of origin and lets rid our streets of these criminal scum bags I totally agree with “thurrocksgonedownhill” A CHAFFORD Hundred resident has slammed the state of a local park after discovering it was awash with evidence of drug use Gary Chappell took his son to the Rainbow Road park on Friday afternoon and was horrified by what he saw Mr Chappell said: “At first I thought it was paper scattered everywhere When I realised it was hippy crack canisters I felt sick disgusting and plain rancid to see my son playing in a kids park littered with drugs The park was opened in 2011 after a long campaign by the Chafford Hundred Community Forum Over £60,000 was ploughed instead in play equipment and a number of other features Mr Chappell added: “I want to know what the council are doing about cleaning this disgraceful mess and I want to know what the police are doing about this horrendous misuse of a children’s park “I assume the increase in council tax will pay for it A Thurrock Council spokesperson said: “Thurrock Council is committed to ensuring it’s parks and open spaces are clean and tidy With additional resources promised to the clean it programme we’re pleased to have started parks review which will identify further works and equipment needed for improvement This playground was visited on Thursday 30 March by our environment team as part of our pledge to visit every park every twenty days The photo which has been submitted shows the acts of inconsiderate users who believe it is acceptable to drop litter The council will continue to take a robust approach toward people who treat our borough like a bin and issue fines where appropriate or open space which needs urgent attention Criterion Capital submits homes for key workers CRITERION Capital is delighted to announce that key workers such as teachers nurses and bobbies will receive early priority access to the new high quality rental homes proposed for the derelict site to the rear of Bannatyne’s Gym on Howard Road The brownfield site has sat derelict for over a decade and become a magnet for anti-social behaviour but a full planning application has now been validated by Thurrock Council to provide 344 homes parking and new landscaping so that the site will once again give something back to the community key workers will receive first dibs on the new homes proposed which have also been priced to be affordable to them The starting salary for teachers outside of London is £25,714 and the indicative cost for a new one and two-bedroom home to be delivered as part of the regeneration is £750 and £950 per calendar month claims its name from the scheme’s emphasis on improving the public realm and use of materials that reflect the lush green of the nearby Mardyke and chalk of the nearby old quarry.  The proposal also comes complete with 201 car parking spaces and five car club spaces that will be funded by Criterion Capital for the first five years and have the potential to take 100 cars off of the road The plan for new high quality homes has also been led by a rigorous transport assessment that proves beyond doubt that the new planning application will result in fewer car movements to and from the site than the existing planning permission for new homes and a medical centre.   Twice in the last ten years Thurrock Council has approved planning applications for the site that were not built because they proved unviable Criterion Capital have carefully designed a plan that is deliverable and the builders will be onsite within six months to clear the site and prepare for construction A spokesperson for Criterion Capital said: “We are delighted to present our proposal for the regeneration of this site that has sat derelict for far too long It is time to stop the rot and our plan will revitalise this part of Howard Road to create a much more attractive public realm and deliver the new homes Thurrock needs Our brave key workers put their lives on the line day in and day out for us and as a token of our appreciation our regeneration will put them first That is why they will receive priority for the new homes that have been priced with them in mind.” ESSEX Police are appealing for the public’s help to locate two men in connection with an investigation into a serious public order offence in October 2023 in Chafford Hundred 31 from Navestock is described as a white man 57 from Canvey Island is described as having greying hair.  We want to speak with both men and are appealing for the publics help to locate them.  please contact us quoting reference number 42/193684/23.  You can let us know by submitting a report online or by using our Live Chat service Live Chat is an online service available on our website Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) between 10am-9pm where you can send and receive real-time direct messages with an online digital 101 operator select the ‘Live Chat’ icon at the bottom right of your screen when you’re on our website It can be accessed from a desktop computer Alternatively you can call us on 101.  To find out more about the different reporting services visit our ‘Help Us Help You’ webpage.   If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers white etc…..same need be said when black Firefighters were called to the scene of a derelict building fire As the fire could be seen from the A13 our Control staff took over 60 calls to it On arrival crews reported that the building which measures around 40 metres x 15 metres Crews extinguished the fire by 8pm and stayed on site to continue dampening down the area to ensure it was completely cool An investigation to establish the cause of the fire will now take place As the fire can be seen from the A13 we’ve received a high number of calls to it – rest assured we are in attendance and dealing with it More information will be added when it is available YT has received footage that indicates there is a large fire in a building at the back of Bannatynes Leisure on Howard Road in Chafford Hundred Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred judged ‘Outstanding’ HARRIS Primary Academy Chafford Hundred is celebrating after being judged ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted The primary academy scored Ofsted’s top grade across all five categories looked at during the inspection including quality of teaching and outcomes for pupils The academy replaced Chafford Hundred Primary school in 2012 This is the first time in its 16-year history that the school has been judged ‘Outstanding’ This means all three Harris academies inspected in Thurrock so far are deemed ‘Outstanding’ Inspectors were particularly impressed by the academy’s ‘high expectations of what pupils can achieve’ and highlighted that mathematics They also added that pupils are ‘extremely proud of their school’ and ‘speak confidently about how much they enjoy their education’ Parents and staff also have a ‘high level of confidence in the leadership of the school’ Inspectors praised the ‘well-established’ partnership between the primary academy and the two academies it shares a campus with Harris Primary Academy Mayflower and the secondary Harris Academy Chafford Hundred This means pupils benefit from specialist facilities and teaching and leave the academy fully equipped to succeed at secondary school Executive Principal of Harris Primary Academy Chafford Hundred “The whole school community is absolutely delighted that Ofsted judges us as ‘Outstanding’ “The inspectors say our pupils ‘speak confidently about how much they enjoy their education’ with us They are right to point to how happy our pupils are It is because of this and the high quality teaching they receive Jackie Doyle-Price has sent her congratulations to the school Ms Doyle-Price said: “I would like to congratulate Harris Primary on achieving an outstanding rating Harris is an excellent academy provider and I am very pleased that they are providing such excellent education at all three of the academies in Chafford “This is great news for pupils and their parents Bringing Harris to Thurrock is one of my proudest achievements and I am very much looking forward to the opening of the new Harris Academy building in Purfleet next year.” TRENTALIA-owned train operator c2c will be starting an upgrade of Upminster and Chafford Hundred stations planned to commence in June which are part of a £17m plan to transform all the stations on the c2c route c2c Managing Director Julian Drury said: “The refurbishment of two of our key stations are part of a long term plan to transform the buildings and improve the facilities for our customers This is the next step in our programme of upgrades to stations all along the c2c route.” Customers will also be able to access Upminster’s Platform 1 directly from the car park during the morning peak via the side entrance to ensure they will not face a detour at the busiest times A NEW Specsavers store has opened its doors in Sainbury’s Chafford Hundred Superstore will be open to locals in the area for optical and hearing care and boasts hospital-grade equipment such as an Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT) machine along with DVLA field testing for customers OCT technology uses light to take more than 1,000 images of the back of the eye A layered image is then created to allow the optometrist to view the deeper structures of the eye in more detail than ever before meaning sight-threatening conditions such as diabetic retinopathy macular degeneration and glaucoma and even brain tumours After joining Specsavers’ Lakeside store as a Saturday optical assistant nine years ago store director Vijay became a fully-trained optometrist and underwent leadership training which helped him spearhead the opening of the new store the store will also be run by retail directors Jay Visrolia and Niki Kaur alongside ophthalmic director ‘After being with Specsavers for nearly 10 years it’s a proud moment to be leading the opening of a new store We’ve already been made extremely welcome by all the staff at Sainsbury’s along with Lloyds Pharmacy and the new Argos that also recently launched in store it’s an exciting time to be welcoming locals into store and we all look forward to what the future holds’ Customers can visit the Chafford Hundred store at Sainsbury’s call 01375 808301 or go online at: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/chaffordhundredsainsburys You need to be over the age of 16 to view this content If you’re not over 16, click here to visit the homepage to keep watching Essex-TV programmes c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex You can travel using pay as you go with contactless across the c2c network – for restrictions on Oyster and travelcard validity Download a PDF copy of our entire route Liverpool Street is our London terminus alternative to London Fenchurch Street when there is engineering work At weekends we run some trains to and from London Liverpool Street Liverpool Street Station is connected to: Circle Our service between London Fenchurch Street and Grays Click on a station name to find out more information Our service between London Fenchurch Street and Southend Central Our service between London Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness You can buy tickets for any UK rail journey using our website A DRUG dealer attracted police attention because of his suspicious driving resulting in searches that uncovered drugs and a large amount of cash Shaquille Parchment was arrested on 15 August this year after officers patrolling in South Ockendon spotted a Fiat Bravo that appeared to be trying to avoid their marked police car and was driving oddly Officers from Thurrock’s Local Policing Team stopped the car in Hatfield Road He initially gave a false name but one of the officers recognised him and a fingerprint check established his true identity Checks also showed he had no driving licence or insurance Officers carried out a search of the car because they could smell cannabis and saw the remnants of cannabis They found cocaine hidden inside a roll-on deodorant bottle and some cannabis in the centre console he had a flick knife hidden in his boxer shorts and around £200 cash drugs paraphernalia including scales and deal bags and £4,300 cash was found.The drugs seized had a street value of up to around £3,680 Officers from Operation Raptor charged and remanded Parchment who appeared at Southend Magistrates’ Court on 17 August where he admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis possession of a bladed article in a public place obstructing an officer in the execution of their duty driving without insurance and driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence He was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on 1 October to a total of three years and four months in a Young Offender Institution The court heard he was also in breach of a suspended sentence.The drugs said: “Parchment tried to evade police but was caught red handed He now finds himself in prison and we are applying to the court to seize any money he has made through criminal means.“Having a criminal record is just one of the risks of being involved in gangs You can lose your freedom and jeopardise your future.“There are other ways to earn money respect and a comfortable life that don’t involve risking your freedom or endangering yourself.” A lot of racist comments in here by some Karen’s and Karl’s As if it ain’t the white boys & government getting it into the country for the youths to sell A HIGH sales rate at a Thurrock new homes development displays the continued strength of the property market in the area 51 new homes have been snapped up off-plan by purchasers eager to secure a new home The area is proving popular with first-time buyers and growing families alike attracted by the proximity of Lakeside shopping centre just a few minutes’ walk away and the convenient access to the road and rail network for commuters This is borne out by the fact that prices continue to rise here – according to Rightmove average prices in Thurrock have risen six per cent over the past year and nine per cent since 2016 said: “We’ve been delighted that so many people have already found their ideal home at Renovo “The development offers a fantastic selection of houses and apartments – with easy access to Chafford Hundred railway station A13 and M25 – so it is no surprise that they have proven so popular “Thurrock offers great value for first-time buyers and families alike but house prices continue to rise in the area – and now is the time to buy before they rise further still “I would urge anyone hoping to make the development their home to visit us as soon as possible