The Bradley Stoke Journal

A Journal reader reports that he had both number plates stolen from his vehicle last night (Tuesday 17th January) while it was parked in Juniper Way.

According to the AA, number plate thefts have more than doubled in the last five years and there were at least 40,000 cases last year.

Directgov, the government’s information website, explains that stolen number plates are often switched to other vehicles – by those who don’t want to be found out when they commit such offences as:

• Speeding
• Illegal parking
• Not paying congestion charges
• Driving away from a petrol forecourt without paying (“bilking”)
• Not paying for parking tickets or speeding fines
• ‘Disguising’ a stolen vehicle

The AA advises:

“If the number plates are stolen from your car you should report it straight away – you might start receiving parking fines, speeding fines or worse as number plates are used to disguise the identity of cars used in a wide range of crimes.”

In the Avon and Somerset Police area, 818 number plate thefts were recorded in 2009/2010.

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Bradley Stoke Community School reports that it has been warned by local police of “inappropriate conversations” on Facebook involving students at the school.

The conversations are said to have involved contact with someone “potentially posing as a 15-year-old girl living in Bath”.

The school says the situation is being followed up and it recommends that parents and carers be vigilant about their children’s activity on Facebook.

Parents are also being encouraged to talk with their children about staying safe online.

Read more: Online Safety – Facebook Guidance

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A new service that allows people to ‘shop’ a drink driver by text message has been introduced as part of this year’s local Christmas drink driving campaign, launched at Aztec West last week.

Avon and Somerset Police say they want the public to call 999 or text on their mobile phone to report offenders they know are getting behind the wheel while under the influence of drink or drugs.

People are being encouraged to text the word DRUNK to 81819 to send in their information.

Over the past nine years more than 2,000 drivers have been arrested and tested positive and subsequently lost their licences during the force’s annual Christmas and New Year drink driving crackdown. In that time around 100,000 vehicles have been stopped by police officers.

Read more: Christmas drink drive campaign kicks off at Aztec West (Patchway Journal)

Police have today (Monday 28th November) confirmed that they have charged ten people in connection with ill treatment and neglect offences under the Mental Health Act.

This in relation to allegations that criminal offences were committed at the Winterbourne View Hospital [map], located within Bradley Stoke’s Vantage Business Park (off Old Gloucester Road).

The following have been charged: Wayne Rogers, aged 30; Graham Doyle aged 25; Allison Dove aged 24; Jason Gardiner aged 42; Charlotte Cotterell aged 21; Holly Draper aged 22; Michael Ezenagu aged 28; Kelvin Fore aged 32; Sookalingun Appoo aged 58; and Danny Brake aged 26.

They face a total of 40 charges against four victims.

Three men aged 25, 27 and 41, who have also been arrested on suspicion of causing ill treatment under the Mental Capacity Act, remain on police bail, pending further enquiries.

A 14th person – a 40-year-old man – who was arrested on suspicion of common assault has been released without charge.

Source: Winterbourne View Hospital investigation – 10 are charged

Related link: Four arrested at Bradley Stoke residential care hospital

A police officer has told a court he is living in fear of having contracted hepatitis C following an incident that started in Bradley Stoke.

Police were called to Stanshaws Close in the early hours of Sunday 18th September 2011, where they encountered a 32-year-old man who swore at them and threatened them. The man was pepper sprayed by officers and taken to Frenchay Hospital when it emerged he may have taken an overdose.

Whilst at the hospital, the man spat twice in a police officer’s face, leading to fears that the officer might have contracted hepatitis C from the saliva.

The officer is currently awaiting the results of a blood test.

North Avon Magistrates’ Court heard that the man admitted assaulting a police officer, using threatening, insulting or abusive words and behaviour in Stanshaws Close, causing people to fear unlawful violence.

Read more: Police officer left living in fear of virus after drunk spits in his face (Bristol Evening Post)

A Bradley Stoke man has been jailed for a year after police discovered evidence that he had viewed images of child pornography on his laptop.

The 46-year-old accountant, of Little Meadow (near Baileys Court), was caught after staff at a Tesco store where he had taken his laptop for repair notified police of their concerns that it had been used to display child abuse images.

Bristol Crown Court also heard that the man had been jailed for six months in 2008 for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Recorder Mr Philip Mott QC ordered the man to register as a sex offender for ten years.

Read more: Child porn accountant jailed (Bristol Evening Post)