News 24 August to 30 August
 (l-r) ACC Glen Pavelin, Nick Singer, Johnjo Remblance and Wissam El Kamel at Southend Police Station.
Southend: Recognition for Star team who tackled seafront disorder
Three employees of a seafront business who tackled weapons-wielding teenagers in 2024 have been recognised for their bravery.
Star Amusements’ operations director Nick Singer, operations manager Johnjo Remblance and security team leader Wissam El Kamel responded immediately to reports of trouble near one of their arcades and pursued those involved despite considerable personal risk.
They detained a key suspect, helped to protect members of the public and later retrieved a weapon they spotted being thrown into the sea.
 Next-generation Taser rolled out across Essex Police
Hundreds of Essex Police officers are being trained to use a new generation Taser which provides additional options to safely resolve violent and potentially dangerous incidents while enhancing public and officer safety.
The Home Secretary approved the use of the Axon Taser 10 (T10) by police forces across the UK in October 2025, with forces subsequently beginning the transition to the new device.
As part of Essex Police's rollout programme, 665 frontline officers are being trained in the safe, effective and proportionate use of the T10.
All armed officers within our Force Support Unit and at Stansted Airport will also receive training in its use.
The T10 will replace the force's existing Taser X2 devices, which will be phased out as officers complete their annual refresher training.
New Taser officers will automatically be trained to carry and use the T10.
Detectives investigating the murder of a man who was kidnapped from Essex and found with fatal injuries in Hertfordshire have now secured charges against a man.
Following an investigation by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, Kevhaunne Williams, 26, of Beechfield Walk, Waltham Abbey, has been charged with murder and kidnap.
He appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 27 August.
The investigation remains ongoing.
A 24-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, both from London, remain on police conditional bail.
 Abdul Omer
Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate identified Abdul Omer through carrying out enquiries with local agencies and studying CCTV following the attack in Great Eastern Avenue.
A woman in her 50s reported being assaulted by a man she didn’t know on the evening of 23 August last year.
The woman told officers her attacker had said his name was ‘Akky’. And it was through enquiries in the Southend area that officers established ‘Akky’ was Omer.
Through our investigation detectives established the thirty-one year-old was living at an address in Chelmsford.
They then alerted the Neighbourhood Policing Team and, after he was spotted by the Chelmsford City Council CCTV team, they arrested him the following day.
Omer, of St Fabians Drive, Chelmsford, was then charged with rape. He admitted the offence at Basildon Crown Court on 5 January 2026.
At the same court on Wednesday 26 August he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
 Southend: Jail for motorist who ignored driving ban
A motorist arrested in Southend just weeks after being disqualified for drug-driving has been jailed.
Eduardo Quazolli was spotted by an officer from our Rural Engagement Team driving in Elderton Road on 17 August.
At the city’s magistrates’ court the following day, Quazolli, 40, admitted driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.
He was jailed for a total of 12 weeks and a 17-month driving ban was extended by six months.
The court heard Quazolli had been convicted of drug-driving and driving without insurance on 29 May 2026 in Suffolk. Four weeks later, at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court he was sentenced to an eight-week jail term suspended for 18 months and disqualified from driving for 17 months.
Southend magistrates activated the suspended sentence and added a further four weeks’ jail, as well as adding six months to the original term of the driving ban.
Quazolli was also ordered to pay a £154 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
Harlow: Swift justice for abusive 999 caller
Fifty-nine year-old Lazarus Willmott was sentenced to six weeks in prison on Monday 24 August at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.
He had admitted persistently making use of public communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience, and anxiety, and racially or religiously aggravated harassment or alarm.
Willmott, of Great Brays, Harlow, made six calls to the emergency 999 number between 7.40am and 8.06am on Sunday 23 August.
On each occasion he was abusive towards the call handler, wishing harm on our officers.
When he was arrested at his home and brought into custody, he then racially abused one of our officers.
 Luke Warner
Witham: Detectives secure 12 year sentence
Work by our detectives has seen a man who seriously assaulted a woman in Witham jailed for 12 years.
Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate gathered enough evidence, and built a case so strong, that 35 year-old Luke Warner had no choice but to plead guilty to attempting to murder a woman at his home address in Goda Close on 7 May.
Emergency services had responded to a call reporting a woman had been stabbed in the eye shortly before 5am.
She was taken to hospital for treatment on her injuries as was Warner who had also been found injured.
He was charged with attempted murder on 22 May and admitted the offence at Chelmsford Crown Court on 25 June.
At the same court on Monday 24 August, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
 Let's talk
Upcoming community police events across Essex this week
Let’s Talk events are informal drop‑in sessions where you can chat with local police officers about what matters to you. Whether it's neighbourhood concerns, local priorities or questions about policing in your area.
There’s no need to book and no pressure to stay, you can just stop by for a quick conversation.
To find a Let’s Talk event happening near you, please visit the Essex Police website and enter your postcode.
 Crime prevention advice
Remove dashcams and mounts when parked
If your dashcam, sat nav or phone mount can be seen, it may suggest there are valuables in the vehicle. Remove devices where you can and wipe away suction marks from the windscreen. The less there is on show, the less reason someone has to look inside.
Be fraud smart
Never enter personal information after following a link
Never enter personal information after following a link.
Instead, open a new browser window and go directly to the organisation’s official website.
 Join our team
Police staff jobs
Firearms Research and Development Officer £27,204
Roads Policing Investigation Section Head £37,020
Personal Safety Training Instructor £33,603
Kennel Assistant £27,204
HYDRA Technician £33,603
Business Services Assistant Receptionist £25,242
Financial Intelligence Supervisor £42,612
Roads Policing Prosecution Support Officer £27,204
Contact Centre Officers £27,204 to £29,859
Police Community Support Officers £27,204 to £32,613
Detention Officers £36,399 to £39,135
Visit our website for full advert, job descriptions and application form.
 This week we remember
 Brian Arthur Rippingale
Brian Rippingale was a police cadet who joined Essex County Constabulary on 17 September, 1959. He was based at Clacton and Harlow, becoming a first class advanced driver and moved to HQ Traffic in March 1964.
On 2 Sepember 1968, Brian Rippingale and a colleague were patrolling in heavy traffic on the A12 at Feering. They saw a motor cycle with no lights in the outside lane going towards London. He and his colleague followed the rider, and challenged him to stop over the public address system. It was soon seen that the tax on the motor cycle did not relate to that vehicle, and while details were being checked over the radio the motor cyclist ran off. Brian chased the rider across the A12, and was killed by an estate car as he ran over the fast lane. The motor cyclist was arrested two days later.
Percy Unsworth Battle
Percy Battle served with Essex County Constabulary from December 1, 1910 in Brentwood and Chelmsford before being recalled to his comrades at Chelsea Barracks. He died in action on September 4, 1914 and is buried at ‘The Guards’ Grave’ in Villers Cotterets Forest. He is also commemorated at St Andrew’s church in Marks Tey.
Read more about other Essex officers on the Essex Police Memorial Trust website.
 Obituaries
Grahame Easy
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Grahame Easy who retired as a D/Constable and served at Grays, Brentwood, Harlow and Maldon. He passed away on 4 August 2026 aged 62 yrs.
Roger Barkway
The Chief Constable regrets to inform you of the sad death of our former colleague Roger Barkway who retired as a Sergeant and served at Laindon Traffic, Driving School and Chelmsford. He passed away on the 7 August 2026 aged 81 yrs.
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