Thurrock: Three charged after people leave tunnel

Tuesday 6 September

Three men have been charged in connection with our investigation into disruption in Thurrock.

On Sunday, three men left a tunnel underneath St Clements’s Way, in West Thurrock, leaving it empty.

Three men have now been charged and are due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court today, Tuesday 6 September.

Xavier Gonzalez Trimmer, 21, of Portnall Road, London, Samuel Johnson, 39, of Keens Lane, Reydon, Suffolk, and Joe Howlett, 32, of Radstock, Somerset are all charged with intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance and criminal damage.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said: “As we have consistently said, we are not anti-protest but we must take action when we believe laws have been broken and the safety of the public is put at risk.”

Three men have been arrested in connection with disruption in Thurrock.

It's after three men left a tunnel under St Clements Way this afternoon.

The arrested men are currently in custody having been arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and criminal damage.

We can also confirm the tunnel is now empty.

A cordon will be in place overnight and work to fill the remaining tunnel will commence shortly.

Chief Superintendent Simon Anslow said:

“I’m pleased this situation has now been concluded.

“Over the course of the last fortnight we have made more than 60 arrests and worked hard with our partners to keep disruption to our local community and businesses to a minimum and keep Essex moving.

“This work has required a huge amount of resources and has diverted officers from other duties such as the prevention and investigation of burglary, robbery, sexual, and violent crime.

“We are not anti-protest but will take action where the law is broken or people’s safety is put at risk.

“I want to thank all those involved in helping to resolve this situation and the businesses and organisations impacted for the patience and understanding.”

On Friday, our Chief Constable BJ Harrington released a statement about the protests.

We made two further arrests yesterday as we continue our work to tackle and minimise disruption in Thurrock.

A 58 year-old woman and a 23 year-old man were both arrested in the early hours of yesterday (Tuesday 30 August) near to the site of one of the tunnels dug earlier this month.

They have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance.

The CPS did not authorise charges, so the pair have been released on bail until 26 September.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said:

“We are continuing to work proactively to minimise disruption and tackle those intent on causing it.

“We are using all the powers available to us to resolve this situation as safely as possible for all involved.

“Our continued presence at the site and focus on disrupting the activities of those is, inevitably, having an impact on our ability to respond to and investigate other incidents.

“More than 100 officers and staff have been involved in our response to this disruption and we’ve made around 60 arrests.

“This is a huge amount of time and resources.

“I’ve already reached out to this group this week and would again encourage those involved to re-evaluate the action they are taking, and consider the impact it is having on tax paying residents of Essex and victims of crime.”

One person’s been charged and two others arrested as part of the ongoing work our officers are doing in Thurrock following continuous, illegal protest activity.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said:

“We remain in the local area following a number of illegal and dangerous protests where 60 people have been arrested so far.

“Last night, two people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance. These individuals were stopped by our officers, who noticed them in the area acting suspiciously.

“This week, we have reached out to this group, hoping to engage with them in order to possibly help them facilitate a legal, peaceful protest, which doesn’t cause this level of disruption in Essex.

“My position on this has not changed and I continue to encourage those involved in these protests, to re-evaluate the action they are taking.”

We are continuing to work with Thurrock Council Highways Department and last night (29 August), we were in the position to re-open Stoneness Road.

Work is underway to repair damage caused to the road and traffic is expected to remain slow in the area.

The 23-year-old man of no fixed address and a 58-year-old woman from Leicester, who were arrested have since been released under investigation.

A third person suspected of being in one of the tunnels was also arrested.

Chris Bennett, 31, of no fixed address was charged with intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance.

He was due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday 30 August).

We were called at around 8pm yesterday (28 August) following reports of a group of people obstructing the road and an oil tanker.

Our officers acted quickly to remove the group. The road was temporarily closed but re-opened around 3am this morning. Eight people were arrested on suspicion of offences including going equipped to cause criminal damage. They remain in custody.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said

“Following a busy week of protest activity, our priorities remain to keep Essex moving, keep people safe and minimise the disruption to the public.

“Two tunnels on Stoneness Road and St Clements Way remain occupied. The road at St Clements Way remains partially open, and Thurrock Council Highways Department are ensuring an overview of the road.

“We appreciate that this situation is incredibly frustrating for the public, but we ask drivers to check your journey before you travel in the West Thurrock area.

“We are continuing to engage with those involved in this week’s protests. The UK has seen many protests over the years, and protests which are peaceful and non-disruptive can be an effective way to provoke conversation around a specific issue or topic.

“We take the concerns of this particular protest group its members and supporters seriously and willing to work with you so that your rights to peaceful protest can take place without members breaking the law. 

“I would therefore like to extend my personal invitation to these protestors to start a conversation between us, where we can together find a balance that will allow your members to exercise their rights to protest effectively, whilst also doing so within the boundaries of the law. The current action is dangerous and putting lives at risk. We encourage those involved to re-evaluate the action they are taking.”

Officers working to tackle the disruption in Thurrock this week have secured charges against eight people arrested yesterday (Thursday 25 August).

Following intelligence received, officers attended an address in Rainham and proactively arrested eight people and seized climbing equipment.

All eight arrested have now be charged with conspiracy to commit a public nuisance and are due to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court today (Friday 26 August).

They are:
• Morgan Trowland, 39 of Barry Blandford Way, London E3
• Isabel Rock, 40, of Red Post Hill, London SE24
• Nicole Beholz, 39, of Institute Place, London E8
• Craig Exley, 34, of Ardleigh, Basildon
• Elizabeth Garrat Wright, 35, Stansfield Road, Todmorden
• Gwen Harrison, 45, of Spital View, Kendal
• Paul Sheeky, 47, of Wellfield Street, Warrington
• Emma Smart, 45, of Rodwell Street, Weymouth

In total, we have arrested 48 people this week in connection with the disruption.

Five of these people were also found to have breached an existing junction upon them and were presented at court yesterday.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said:

“We have worked hard to keep Essex moving and keep disruption to a minimum.

“A significant number of resources with more than 100 officers and staff involved – officers and staff who could have been in our communities, responding to emergencies, helping people, and tackling crime.

“We are not anti-protest, but anyone intent on causing disruption and putting themselves and the safety of others at risk will not be tolerated.”

We are still working with partners to safely resolve situations in St Clements Way and Stonness Road where four people are still in two tunnels.

ACC Pavelin added:

“We’re working with Thurrock Council and the Health and Safety Executive to ensure the safety all those involved while ensuring minimal disruption for the businesses and organisations who need to use the roads involved.

“The people who have dug themselves into the tunnels are welcome to come out at any time.”

Further arrests have been made following proactive work to contain disruption in Thurrock this week.

Following intelligence we received, our officers carried out a warrant at an address in Rainham last night (24 August).

Items seized during the warrants included climbing equipment and eight people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit a public nuisance. They remain in custody.

Chief Superintendent Stuart Hooper said:

“These further arrests demonstrate our commitment to keeping our residents safe, keeping Essex moving, and tackling disruption.

“Those arrested in this warrant had travelled from as far as Cheshire and Dorset.

“To reiterate what we have said already, we respect the public’s rights to peacefully protest, but sadly this is not what we have been seeing this week.

“These incidents have been extensively resourced with more than a hundred officers and staff assigned to the operational response at this point.

“These officers could have been in the communities of Essex responding to emergencies, helping Essex residents, and tackling crime."

We are continuing to work to safely resolve the ongoing disruption in St Clements Way where two people remain in a tunnel.

One person, a woman, has left the tunnel and has been arrested.

Chief Supt Hooper added:

"People have a right to have their say but they don't need to sit in a hole, using up public money from the people of Essex in order to do that"

Yesterday, we arrested 11 people at a service station in Grays on suspicion of criminal damage.

Five of these people were also found to have breached an existing junction upon them and will therefore be presented in court today.

UPDATE: 12.15pm

Officers have arrested 11 people today, Wednesday 24 August, following an incident in Grays.

We were notified just after 5.15am of a group of people causing a disturbance on the forecourt at Moto, Thurrock Motorway Services, Grays.

Officers acted quickly to keep people safe and keep Essex moving and arrested 11 people on suspicion of criminal damage to petrol pump display panels. 

No petrol was released and the incident was dealt with before 7am.

All 11 are currently in custody for questioning.

The service station remains closed whilst we continue gathering information at the scene.

This follows a total of 28 arrests made following reports of disruption at three locations in Thurrock yesterday, Tuesday 23 August. The arrests were made for various criminal offences.

Assistant Chief Constable Glen Pavelin said:

“We’re working hard to keep Essex moving, keep people safe and minimise disruption to the public on Thurrock’s roads.

“We understand that people have the right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate criminal activities that affect our communities and businesses and will take swift and robust action to tackle such incidents.

“We will continue to work with our partners and businesses to bring this situation to an end.”

We remain on scene at two locations and a road closure is still in place at the junction of Stoneness Road at the A126 roundabout and traffic is being diverted.

We would ask drivers to avoid the area and make alternative arrangements if they can.

UPDATE: at 3.30pm

We have removed the road closure at Saint Clements Way and a contraflow is in place to minimise disruption to road users. The road closure at Stoneness Road/A126 remains in place for the safety of road users.

UPDATE: at 2.30pm

Officers tackling disruption in Thurrock today have made three further arrests. 

Officers have made a total of 23 arrests for a variety of criminal offences following reports of disruption at three locations in Thurrock this morning (Tuesday 23 August). 

The discovery of two tunnels has resulted in road closures at Saint Clements Way junction of London Road West Thurrock and at Stoneness Road at the A126 roundabout.

The closures are to allow an assessment to be made for the safety for all road users. 

Superintendent John Hallworth said:

“We are working quickly to try to resolve the situation. We’ve already arrested 23 people for various offences.

“But we want to keep everyone safe and keep the roads moving.

“Traffic is currently being diverted, so I would ask the public to review their imminent travel plans if they want to travel around Thurrock and try to avoid the area if they can.

“I’d like to thank local drivers, workers, and business for their patience whilst we deal. 

“I want to be clear: policing is not anti-protest but we must intervene where there is a risk to life or where laws are being broken.”

We received reports from just after 6am onwards relating to people causing disruption in St Clements Way, Chafford Hundred railway station, and an industrial site at Askew Farm Lane.

We continue our presence at a site at Askew Farm Lane where we responded to reports of people at height.

Officers have acted quickly and arrested 20 people following reports of disruption at three locations in Thurrock this morning (Tuesday 23 August).

We received reports from just after 6am onwards relating to people causing disruption in St Clements Way, Chafford Hundred railway station, and an industrial site at Askew Farm Lane.

So far 20 people have been arrested – 10 at the site in St Clements Way and eight at Chafford Hundred Railway Station.

At the site in Askew Farm Lane, we are responding to reports of people at height and this may require specialist equipment to bring them down safely.

Two people have been arrested there.

Inspector Stuart Austin said:

“We are working to resolve these situations as quickly and safely for all those involved.

“We have plans in place to deal with incidents like these and have acted swiftly to deal with them and make 18 arrests so far.

“We are focussed on keeping the county moving and keeping you safe.

“Road disruption is currently minimal and I’d like to thank local drivers, workers, and business for their patience.

“I want to be clear: policing is not anti-protest but we must intervene where there is a risk to life or where laws are being broken.”

We will provide more updates when we are able to.