Saturday 15 June 2013

Travellers in village alleged to have threatened person with firearm - Essex

From the Brentwood Weekly News

TRAVELLERS are reported to have threatened a passer-by with a gun after they moved onto a Mountnessing field.


A group of around 40 Travellers moved onto the site by the windmill in the Coronation Playing Fields just off Roman Road on Thursday night before eventually moving off again by Saturday morning.

During their temporary stay, police were called out to investigate claims of a firearm being produced to threaten a member of the public.

However, officers were unable to trace the weapon or the person who is said to have been threatened.

A police spokesman said: “Police were contacted shortly after 8pm on Friday June 7 after receiving reports of that a member of the public had been threatened by a firearm in playing fields near Roman Road where Travellers were.

“Officiers conducted local investigations, but were unable to track the weapon or the subject of the claims.

“The Travellers left of their own accord overnight.”

On Friday following inspections of the site, Brentwood Council applied to the High Court for an injunction to remove the Travellers by 10am on Saturday.

Rubbish left behind on the field was cleared up by council staff over the weekend.

A gate destroyed to gain access to the site is set to be replaced while damage was also caused the cricket pavilion and square used by Mountnessing Cricket Club, who had to switch venues for a Saturday match.

Council leader Louise McKinlay said she wants this situation and how it was handled to act as a “firm message” to other Travellers.

Mrs McKinlay said: “They should not have been there in the first place and they did cause a lot of upset to residents.

“The cost to Brentwood taxpayers in terms of legal fees and cleaning up the mess left behind came to £4,500 which could have been better off spent somewhere else.

“We will always take a firm line to these situations and will use all the powers at our disposal to move groups on from places they shouldn’t be.”

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