Fines handed out and music equipment seized at unlicensed music events

Tuesday 12 January

Officers investigating an unlicensed music event at a disused church have made a further arrest.

A 35-year-old man from Romford was arrested on suspicion of burglary today, Tuesday 12 January.

It follows an unauthorised music event at All Saints Church in East Horndon on New Year’s Eve, which was attended by hundreds of people in breach of the Government’s COVID-19 regulations.

Four people were previously arrested on suspicion of burglary and have been released under investigation while we continue our enquiries.

 

Wednesday 6 January

A 28-year-old man from Brentwood has been arrested this afternoon, Wednesday 6 January, on suspicion of burglary.

It is in connection with our investigation into an unlicensed music event at All Saints Church in East Horndon on New Year’s Eve.

He remains in custody for questioning.

 

Tuesday 5 January

Officers investigating an unlicensed music event at All Saints Church in East Horndon on New Year’s Eve have arrested two people.

Hundreds of people had attended in breach of the Government’s COVID-19 regulations and officers reported having objects thrown at them.

Officers arrested two people yesterday – a 32-year-old woman and a 30 year-old man – on suspicion of burglary, money laundering, and cannabis cultivation.

They have since been released under investigation and our enquiries are continuing.

Anyone with information about these events are asked to contact us online at https://www.essex.police.uk where you can also use the 'Live Chat' button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.

Alternatively, you can call 101.

Information can also be given to independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or https://crimestoppers-uk.org

 

Saturday 2 January

We’re continuing enquiries to trace the organisers of two unlicensed New Year’s Eve events in which hundreds of people were put at risk.

Officers dispersed two events at All Saints Church in East Horndon and an empty industrial unit in Brentwood.

Hundreds of people had attended in breach of coronavirus restrictions, putting themselves and others in danger and in turn risking extra strain on NHS staff.

Officers had objects thrown at them and were threatened while dealing with the incident at the disused All Saints Church. Three people were arrested on suspicion of drugs and public order offences.

Crowds were also dispersed from an industrial building in Wates Way, Brentwood, and two people were arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and for failing to provide details.

Music equipment was seized from both locations and enquiries remain ongoing to identify the organisers of both events.

On the same night, officers had to deal with a house party in Bury Road, Sewardstonebury, attended by around 100 people.

A woman was issued a £10,000 fine for organising the party and another 27 people were given fixed penalty notices. Music equipment was also seized.

Across the three events dealt with, one £10,000 fine was handed out and 37 fixed penalty notices in total.

Chief Inspector Richard Melton said:

“It is the reckless minority of people who organise and attend unauthorised events of this kind that risk spreading Covid-19 and jeopardising the efforts of the majority of people who are doing the right thing.
“Tragically there are people dying or becoming seriously ill because of this awful virus and we all have a responsibility for doing all we can to protect each other.
“We are continuing enquiries to trace the organisers of the gatherings in East Horndon and Brentwood and they will receive the maximum penalty for these blatant breaches of coronavirus regulations.
“And we’ll continue to identify anyone who is planning similar events and take appropriate action.
“Often, an early conversation with organisers to end an event at the earliest possible opportunity is all that’s been needed in the majority of cases.
“But where they refuse to, as in the cases on New Year’s Eve, we will not hesitate to issue fines and seize equipment.
“I’d urge anyone who is considering attending events like this to think about the risk they pose not only to themselves but to their loved ones, and the wider impact that the spread of the virus has on our communities.”

Anyone with information about these events are asked to contact us online at https://www.essex.police.uk where you can also use the 'Live Chat' button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.

Alternatively, you can call 101.

Information can also be given to independent charity Crimestoppers 100% anonymously on 0800 555 111 or https://crimestoppers-uk.org

 

 

Friday 1 January

We have fined reckless individuals more than £18,000 in organiser fines and fixed penalty notices overnight (31 December 2020). 

It’s after hundreds of people chose to attend unlicensed events in our county to flout coronavirus restrictions, endanger themselves and others, and put extra strain on our NHS on New Year’s Eve.

Assistant Chief Constable Andy Prophet said: “I’d like to firstly thank everyone across Essex who stayed at home and did the right thing last night.
“You’re protecting our NHS and you’ve allowed us to attend a large number of callouts across the county, including arresting three people on suspicion of murder in Rayleigh following the tragic death of a man in Worcester Road.
“Unfortunately, there were others who decided to blatantly flout the coronavirus rules and regulations and, ultimately, they decided that partying was more important than protecting other people.
“We’ve seized their equipment, arrested five people, and issued a large number of fines to those who think this behaviour is acceptable.
“We need you to keep yourselves, other people, and the NHS, safe. Thank you again to everyone who spent their New Year’s Eve in a responsible, legal, way. “Stay safe, Essex.”

Officers from our Operational Support Group attended three main locations throughout the course of last night and the early hours of this morning.

The first was a conservation-run church in Thorndon Park, where hundreds of people had gained entry. In attempting to engage with party-goers, officers had objects thrown at them and were threatened.

We gained entry, seized the equipment and dispersed the crowd before midnight. Three arrests were made, including:

A 27-year-old man from Harlow, arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs, a public order offence, and of offences under The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.

A 22-year old man from Harlow, arrested on suspicion of a public order offence, possession of cannabis, and of offences under The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.

A 35-year-old man from Southwark was arrested on suspicion of possession of Class A and Class B drugs.

Officers later seized a generator at an unlicensed event at an abandoned warehouse in Brentwood and dispersed around 100 people. Two people were arrested: one for failing to provide details, and the other on suspicion of drink driving.

A woman was issued a £10,000 fine for organising a house party with around 100 attendees on Bury Road, Sewardstonebury.

We seized the equipment inside and dispersed the crowd, issuing more than 25 fixed penalty notices in the process.

A dispersal order remains in place until midday today, Friday 1 January.