Travellers oxfordshire area

[Surgery]

Just to let everyone know a certain strain of the mentioned above are doing the rounds and are very blasen about it too.

The other half has caught them twice taking a photo on her iPhone which they seem to hate as they flew out the yard.

Had the police out and have found to our surprise a couple of officers have been told to get stuck into them and clamp down hard.

Through our chat with her I would like to pass on a few tips , I am not telling anyone on here how to suck eggs , to help both your selfs and the police.

They are sending a scout car around first giving it flannel. Take photos if your in the yard of car and driver.

If no one is about in comes the van , again if you do see this take photos.

If your like us and have more than one entrance that can allow them not to pass top your house block it off or gate it , they won't come in past your house.

As they know police response times in areas if they are caught on the next door farm it won't mean they won't come onto yours , keep near farms informed.

All the vehicles used near use lately have been on false plates , the first one seen and photo taken was found that evening burnt out , the second vehicle used a few weeks later found in a supermarket car park as a pool vehicle and recoverd and crushed so without photos etc they would have kept using them for a while longer.

I do have the officers number if anyone around here would like it , as mentioned it was refreshing to speak to her and she knew the blokes which we had photos of , they are active against them and had recovered several trailers etc from the camp in the last few months , she is desperate for further information to help prosecute as just driving into a yard nothing can be done , seen pinching and photo evidence they have got them.

 

[Darren]

Not Oxford but last week there was a convoy of 20 + chrome laden vans, transits, crewcabs and 7.5 ton Lorries heading south on the A 15

 

[jade35]

Thanks @Surgery @Darren hope they don't head down the M5

Must admit, I always ring the police to give number plate details etc if we have one in the yard.

 

[Darren]

Thanks @Surgery @Darren hope they don't head down the M5

Must admit, I always ring the police to give number plate details etc if we have one in the yard.

Yes. I did panic when I saw them. Half expected to see the freshly cut silage field to be knee deep in pikey's when I got back.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Just to let everyone know a certain strain of the mentioned above are doing the rounds and are very blasen about it too.

I do have the officers number if anyone around here would like it , as mentioned it was refreshing to speak to her and she knew the blokes which we had photos of , they are active against them and had recovered several trailers etc from the camp in the last few months , she is desperate for further information to help prosecute as just driving into a yard nothing can be done , seen pinching and photo evidence they have got them.

Which one? I have always found thebpolicento be very good at dealing with them in Oxforshire. Given their budget cuts it's actually very impressive

 

[Surgery]

Which one? I have always found thebpolicento be very good at dealing with them in Oxforshire. Given their budget cuts it's actually very impressive[/QUOTE
Sounds funny but I just asked the other half to put her details up and she thought it best not to do so as she does not come up on an internet search , if you phone 101 and ask for the rural team Didcot as she works out of there but she did say any doubt phone 999.

 

[RushesToo]

Well done Oxfordshire police, and well done you for helping them.

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Didcot based then? That's far enough away for now then...!

 

[Surgery]

Didcot based then? That's far enough away for now then...!

I thought you meant the police, the camp is near red bridge Oxford , I am sure if you google that camp there is a big court case on at the minute over slavery

 

[Doing it for the kids]

Ok thanks, I know more than I would like to about them, that camp is not our local one though!

 

[jade35]

This one @Surgery ?

Three convicted of forced labour offence - Oxfordshire
Tuesday 05 July 2016, 1:44pm

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, three people have been convicted of requiring a man to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Christopher Joyce, aged 82, and his daughters Mary Joyce, aged 60, and Helen Collins, aged 46, of Redbridge Hollow in Old Abingdon Road, Oxford, were found guilty by unanimous jury after a four week trial at Oxford Crown Court.

The offence took place between 6 April 2010 and 9 February 2015, when the three defendants required a 52-year-old man to perform forced or compulsory labour.

The victim lived in a brick shed on the Redbridge Hollow site which was described as unfit for human habitation. He was made to undertake heavy manual labour, working for more than 12 hours a day, for which he was paid £5 a day. Meanwhile the defendants were applying for and collecting his benefits – a total of £139,000 from 2002 to 2015 , for which they were charged with and convicted of conspiracy to defraud at a trial at Oxford Crown Court in November last year.

The victim sustained physical injuries over the years including a serious injury to his arm from trying to lift a heavy washing machine and he dislocated his shoulder five times over the course of three and a half years.

Despite the injuries he was still required to keep working. If he did not perform his tasks to the defendants’ satisfaction, he would be hit (opens new window) – on one occasion with a metal bar.

Although he attempted to leave the Redbridge Hollow site on occasion, he either returned because he felt he had nowhere else to go or because he felt scared and intimidated by the people he lived with, and on some occasions he was threatened or brought back to the site forcibly.

The offences came to light as part of a major investigation by Thames Valley Police. On 26 March 2015 at around 6am, search warrants were executed in Redbridge Hollow under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

During the warrants, Collins was arrested. She was charged the same day.

Christopher and Mary Joyce were arrested on 30 March 2015 and charged the following day.

Joyce, Joyce and Collins will be sentenced for the conspiracy to defraud offence and the forced labour offence in August on a date to be confirmed at the same court.

Senior investigating officer, Det Chief Insp Mark Glover from the Major Crime Unit, said: “Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the bravery of the victim in this case for coming forward and speaking to police about what happened to him.

“The Joyces and Collins claimed that the victim was like a family member, but the evidence showed that no family member was treated remotely like he was.

“He was a vulnerable man who had no family or friends that he felt he could turn to, and he felt he had nowhere else to go. A consultant forensic psychologist found that because of a lifelong learning disability, the victim lacked the capacity to remove himself from the circumstances in which he lived for 35 years.

“Instead he was used by the Joyces and Collins for hard manual labour and demeaning tasks such as cleaning up dog mess and tying their shoes, while he was made to sleep in a brick wash house and paid very little money, while he and his co-defendants claimed his benefits and kept them for themselves.

“I hope that this conviction will demonstrate that treating another person like this will not be tolerated.

“Convictions for forced or compulsory labour are challenging to secure due to the complex nature of the investigation, particularly when some of the offences are historic.

“I am grateful for the hard work of the Operation Stirling team and the support of everyone involved in the trial, as well as our partner agencies including Oxfordshire County Council, South Oxfordshire Council and Vale of White Horse District Council, the Crown Prosecution Service, the National Crime Agency’s UK Human Trafficking Centre, HM Revenue and Customs, the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.”

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said: “The offences involved the serious mistreatment of a vulnerable man, who had little option but to continue to work for Christopher Joyce and his two daughters, because he was trapped by his personal circumstances. Joyce, Joyce and Collins used intimidation, threats of violence and actual violence when unhappy with his work, to prevent the victim leaving them or from alerting the authorities to their mistreatment. They forced him to work very long hours by requiring him to perform menial tasks and manual labour such as collecting scrap metal, cleaning tools and maintenance, for little and sometimes no money and took advantage of his vulnerability and inability to protest in doing so. In effect they treated him like a skivvy.

“The three defendants also opened an account in the victim’s name without his knowledge and claimed various benefits on his behalf for almost 13 years amounting to a substantial sum of money, which was paid into this account; money the victim was unaware of. These offences were financially motivated, allowing them to live in relative luxury while the victim was provided with the most basic living standards possible. They were found unanimously guilty of conspiracy to defraud on 16 November 2015, by a jury, at the conclusion of the first trial.

“This case highlights the fact that both the police and the CPS are committed to securing justice even in the most difficult circumstances and for the most vulnerable members of our society.

“It is shocking to hear that offences such as these can occur in modern times, but this case may not in fact be unique. Any members of the public who are concerned that a member of their family or their friends may have been subjected to similar treatment should contact their local police without delay.

“The victim has been supported throughout the case by a number of agencies since his escape, which I hope will give him an opportunity to rebuild his life. Our thoughts are very much with him at this time.”

For crime prevention advice about modern slavery, visithttp://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/crime-prevention/keeping-safe/modern-slavery.htm

http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/n...s/newsevents-pressreleases-item.htm?id=337276

 

[Surgery]