News 7 October to 13 October
A woman who murdered her parents before concealing their bodies within their home has been jailed for life thanks to the work of Essex Police’s specialist detectives.
Virginia McCullough, 36, will spend at least 36 years in prison before she can be considered for parole.
We launched a missing persons investigation following concerns for McCullough’s parents John, aged 70 at the time of his death, and Lois, aged 71 at the time of her death.
When officers visited the couple’s home, they became suspicious and located human remains which were confirmed to be that of John and Lois.
It was established the murders had taken place at some stage in the summer of 2019.
Post-mortem examinations revealed both had been poisoned with prescription medication.
McCullough told persistent lies about the couple’s whereabouts, cancelling family arrangements and frequently telling doctors and relatives her parents were unwell, on holiday or away on lengthy trips.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of kidnap after we dealt with a report of a man leaving Chelmsford with four children in a car.
Initially the incident – reported to us on Sunday 13 October – was dealt with as a missing people investigation.
As a result of our work on the report, our focus then moved from a missing episode to a potential abduction, with the safety of the four children being of utmost importance.
As a result of information provided by members of the public and the use of a number of policing tactics, the man and four children were located in the east London area safely at about 11pm on Sunday 13 October.
A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of kidnap and remains in custody today.
Acting Detective Inspector Dan Smith said:
“This incident moved at an incredibly fast pace late last night and thankfully, alongside colleagues in the Metropolitan Police Service, we were able to bring it to a safe conclusion.
“At all times, our priority was the safety of the children present.
“A thorough investigation into the incident and the circumstances surrounding is now taking place.”
 Businesses: Spotting the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking
Educating firms to spot the signs of modern slavery and human trafficking is an important part of our Business Crime Team’s work.
They visit firms across our county to explain what to look out for so staff can identify if someone has been trafficked or is being exploited.
Bob Fortt, who works to prevent modern slavery and human trafficking and protect victims for Essex Police, says larger firms must annually outline the steps they take to ensure they use ethical supply lines, as outlined by the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
However, he explains, while many businesses focus on sourcing goods ethically, they must make similar checks when employing staff.
A Basildon drug dealer has been sentenced to more than six years behind bars after thousands of pounds of cash and drugs were found at their address.
Christopher England, 54, of Felmores End, Basildon, was stopped while driving in Paycocke Road when police detected the car he was driving had no insurance.
Officers were able to confirm Engalnd was wanted after failing to appear at court, and that his vehicle was connected to drug dealing in the town.
England was arrested and a search of his car found ten mobile phones and two small bags of cocaine.
With evidence suggesting he was clearly involved in the supply of drugs, his house was also searched and officers discovered £13,000 worth of cocaine and £76,000 in cash, as well as scales and other paraphernalia connected to the sale and distribution of drugs.
He was remanded in custody but refused to attend court for his trial at Basildon Crown Court in September 2024, where a jury deliberated for just 30 minutes after a two-day trial to find him guilty of both charges.
He was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on Friday 4 October.
Two people were arrested after officers recovered a stolen digger within 20 minutes of it being taken.
A report was made to us shortly after 7.50pm on Friday 11 October, after the digger was stolen from Torkildsen Way, in Harlow.
A number of men were reported to be involved, all wearing high-visibility jackets.
Response officers quickly made an assessment of the situation and were able to get behind a low-loader carrying the stolen vehicle.
The vehicle then stopped on the London-bound A10 and those inside stopped the vehicle and tried to run.
But officers were able to catch up and make arrests just before 8.10pm.
Two men, aged 49 and 43 and both from Hertfordshire, were arrested on suspicion of theft of a motor vehicle. The 43-year-old is also being questioned on suspicion of driving without insurance and driving whilst disqualified.
Both remain in custody.
A rapist has been sentenced to nine years in prison after sexually assaulting a woman in Harlow.
Dean Tombs, 45, of Lower Meadow in Harlow, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday 7 October after he raped the victim in January 2024.
He was charged on 14 January 2024 with rape, sexual assault by penetration, causing actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
After a four-day trial, a jury found Tombs guilty of rape, sexual assault by penetration and ABH. He was found not guilty of intentional strangulation.
He was sentenced to nine years in prison for rape, two years for sexual assault by penetration, and nine months for ABH, all to run concurrently. He is also subject to an indefinite restraining order.
We are thrilled to welcome four new Special Constables, Simon Boygle, Hannah Fox, Bayley Knight and Stephen Wooder, who have recently completed their training and are eager to start patrolling and serving the community.
Special Constables are volunteers who dedicate their free time to help keep their communities safe. They have the same powers as regular police officers, which means they can make arrests, conduct investigations, and patrol neighbourhoods. They undergo training to ensure they’re ready for any situation, from directing traffic to handling emergencies. But here’s the twist: they do all this while juggling their regular jobs and personal lives.
Each of our Specials brings a unique story and a strong commitment to making a difference. The same goes for our four newest recruits, each with their own inspirations and motivations for volunteering.
The tragic story of the 39 bodies discovered in a lorry trailer, and Essex Police’s investigation into the deaths, was told on BBC One’s Crimewatch last week.
In the early hours of 23 October 2019, the Vietnamese men, women and children were found unresponsive in the trailer of a lorry by its driver Maurice Robinson, in Eastern Avenue, Grays, Essex.
With the five-year anniversary approaching, Crimewatch covers the story of that final journey and the resulting complex investigation, as part of a feature shining a spotlight on the dedicated teams bringing criminals to justice.
The episode aired on BBC One at 9.30am on Wednesday 9 October and you can watch the clip online.
A “sustained and significant” policing operation is being launched across Southend to stamp out incidents of violence and stop a criminal few from impacting on the lives of our law-abiding majority.
The operation has been launched after a number of incidents of violence in the city over the last three months.
In many cases, charges have already been secured in relation to those incidents, with cases progressing through court.
Other investigations remain live, with teams of officers and staff continuing to work through them at pace.
Our response to two incidents which took place over a week ago in the city has resulted in four arrests being made, with targeted work ongoing to locate and arrest a number of other people who we’d like to speak to.
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Monday 14 October
9:30am to 11:30am
CVST, Harwich Hub, High Street, Dovercourt.
10am to 12pm
Joining Peabody, Walton Forum, High Street, Walton on Naze.
3pm to 4pm
Lakeside Shopping Centre (Level 2, outside Primark), West Thurrock Way
Tuesday 15 October
10:30am to 12pm
Witham Town Hall, Heritage Suite, Witham
2pm to 3pm
Sainsbury's, Cricketers Retail Park, Cricketers Wy., Basildon2pm to 3pm
7:30pm to 8:30pm
The Swann, The Endway, Great Easton
Wednesday 16 October
10am to 11am
Vange Riverview Centre, Vange, Basildon
10:30am to 11:30am
Flowers Community Hall, Lime Close, South Ockendon
10:30am to 11:30am
Manningtree Library, High Street, Manningtree.
1pm to 3pm
Village Hall, Radwinter Road, Sewards End
Thursday 17 October
10am to 10:30am
St Andrews Church, Belchamp St Paul
Friday 18 October
9am to 10am
Waltham Abbey Leisure Centre, Hillhouse, Waltham Abbey EN9 3EL
10am to 11am
Morrison's Supermarket, Centenary way, Little Clacton.
10am to 11am
The Plaza, Southchurch Road, Southend
10am to 12pm
Walton food bank,Standley Road, Walton on Naze.
10am to 11am
St Andrews Church Hall, Halstead
10:30am to 11am
Birdbrook Community House
4pm to 5pm
Morrisons - Northwick Rd, Canvey Island
Saturday 19 October
9am to 9am
Village Hall, Little Chesterford
9:30am to 10:30am
Billericay Library 143 High St, Billericay CM12 9AB
10am to 10am
Community Centre, Great Chesterford
10am to 11am
M&S Food, Unit 1, Brook Park West, T Grove, Clacton.
11am to 12pm
Starbucks Coffee Shop, Southernhay, Basildon SS14 1EB
11:30am to 11:30am
Village Hall, Walden Road, Littlebury
2pm to 2pm
Village Hall, Ashdon
3pm to 4pm
Lidl, Woodgrange Drive, Southend
3:30pm to 3:30pm
Village Hall, Hadstock
Sunday 20 October
10am to 11am
Co-op, White Street, Great Dunmow
1:30pm to 2:30pm
Dunmow Malting Museum, Mill Lane, Great Dunmow
2:30pm to 3:30pm
Lidl, Greyhound Estate, Southend
For full details of upcoming events, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
 Be alert to rogue traders, bogus callers and distraction burglary
Whilst we do have genuine callers come to our doors, there are also those that aim to exploit people in their homes.
This type of crime includes people that knock on your door offering fraudulent services, being overcharged for services, as well as false use of logos or ID that appear to be genuine.
Crime is falling but we need your help to cut it further. Here are some of our top tips to stay safe and not get caught out by doorstep criminals:
- Install a door chain or spy hole to communicate through your door safely.
- Be wary of leaflets that are posted through your door, don’t be afraid to ask for references or doing some research.
- Don’t agree to have work done or part with money on your doorstep.
- Ask around for recommendations or check trusted websites for local tradesmen.
- Report rogue traders to the us via our online live chat or via 101. If you feel in immediate danger, call 999.
For more crime prevention advice visit our link in the comments.
Help your family, friends, neighbours and colleagues avoid becoming a victim of crime too, by sharing this advice with them.
Be fraud smart
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Help keep your digital life secure by making sure your passwords are as unique as you.
The weirder they are the harder they will be for a hacker to crack.
Keep your information safe by changing your passwords and never use the same one for multiple accounts.
 Join our team
Police staff jobs
Intelligence Support Officer £24,921
Campaigns and Partnerships Manager £45,546
Assistant Caseworker £23,121
Business Support Assistant £23,121
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
 This week we remember
Edward Jack Gillingham
Edward Gillingham served with Southend Borough Constabulary. He and his wife were killed as a result of enemy action on 14 October 1940. A German raider released two heavy bombs whilst being pursued by a British fighter in the Thames Estuary. One of the bombs fell at the rear of Edward’s house where he and his wife were talking a walk together in their garden before he was sue to go on duty.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
 Obituaries
John Andrews
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague John Andrews who retired as a Sergeant in 2000 and served at Southend, Clacton, Benfleet, Canvey, Tilbury, South Ockendon, Basildon and Emergency Planning at Headquarters.
He passed away on Monday 9 September 2024 aged 75 years.
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