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Luxury car thief who targeted hire firm at Stansted airport is jailed
Martin Olah, 31, stole seven cars worth £200,000 from hire firms across the UK, including two at Stansted Airport.
After a 12-month manhunt across Europe, Olah was arrested in December last year when he returned to Britain to visit relatives for Christmas.
Dc Jean Seager, who led the investigation, said that Olah, also known as Blanik, had been associated with five others who were convicted in August last year.
"We have been tracking Martin Olah all over Europe after he fled the county when the other five were arrested," she said.
"He first tried to enter the UK again in March 2013 but was stopped by the French authorities when he was found in possession of documents with false details.
"We have also worked closely with other police forces abroad, especially when he cropped up again in Austria where he was involved in the theft of cars from car hire firms in Vienna.
"He was also caught in the Czech Republic in a British hire car with false documentation. A Mercedes worth £75,000 was found in Belgium being driven by his wife.
"The theft of hire cars, particularly at airports, has been a serious problem but after the five men were convicted last year one hire car firm said that we had reduced their losses by 50 per cent.
"We have been working closely with car hire firms at Stansted Airport and fortunately security has been greatly increased as a result of the activities of thieves like Olah and his associates."
Cold Norton man, 75, in court over illegal and dangerous gas boiler installation in Brightlingsea
William Saint, 75, of Cherry Blossom Lane, Cold Norton, was hired to install a gas boiler for a swimming pool at a home in Brightlingsea on April 1 last year – even though he was not Gas Safe registered as the law requires.
At Colchester Magistrates Court last week he was handed a four-month jail term, suspended for a year, and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £850 court costs.
Despite several attempts to install the boiler, it did not work and was deemed dangerous when it was later inspected by British Gas.
Even after receiving advice from a Gas Safe Register engineer, Saint failed to rectify all of the faults and the matter was passed to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which prosecuted Mr Saint for safety failings.
HSE Inspector Vicky Fletcher said: "William Saint was well aware that he should be registered with Gas Safe Register in order to carry out gas work, yet he still chose to flout the law.
"People can die as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and gas explosions. It is therefore vital that only registered gas engineers, who are trained and competent, work on gas appliances and fittings."
Call 0800 408 5500 or visit www.gassaferegister.co.uk to check the credentials of a gas fitter.
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Could grass verges in Chelmsford become overgrown? Council bosses at loggerheads
WHETHER the grass is greener on the other side is always up for debate – but it's definitely longer in Chelmsford.
The city council is at loggerheads with the county council after it slashed funds for maintaining grass verges alongside footpaths, byways and highways. Now the council is refusing to cut the grass across the city.
In an e-mail to councillors, Keith Nicholson, director of public places, said: "Essex County Council has given notice of their intention to reduce almost by half the funding available for the maintenance of country ways and other public rights of way in 2014/15.
"Following discussions within Chelmsford City Council, the city council does not believe it is possible to meet the minimum acceptable standards for the reduced level of funding that will be available and would leave the city council potentially exposed to a considerable amount of criticism and other liabilities. Accordingly we have given notice to Essex County Council that the city council intends to fully withdraw from undertaking this work on their behalf."
The funding from County Hall also covers stile and bridge repairs, provision and maintenance of footpath and bridleway signs, and responding to specific service requests for grounds maintenance works along these routes. The city council downed tools at the start of the month and has referred any works needed to the county council.
But city council leader Roy Whitehead insists his authority isn't cut up over the matter.
"We're not at daggers drawn with them," he said. "The county council are saying it costs X to do and we are saying it costs Y – residents struggle to understand what councils do what and we don't want to do the job badly.
"I'm hoping next week to have discussions with county councillor Rodney Bass on it."
He was confident an agreement would be made before it was noticeable. People shouldn't notice a difference as they are only done two to three times a year."
Cllr Whitehead is also calling on County Hall to consolidate its maintenance funding pots.
Separate money is also set aside to maintain verges and footways, which the city council is continuing to do.
There is also £130,000 provided to highway rangers for small works such as repainting or straightening a signpost, cutting back obscuring vegetation or strimming an overgrown highway verge or cleaning road signs.
A county council spokesman said: "Essex County Council is happy to work collaboratively with all district, borough and city councils across Essex to deliver services, such as grass verge maintenance, in a cost effective and efficient way.
"We will continue to have discussions with all parties involved regarding flooding and other maintenance activities."
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Foodbank hands out 41 tonnes in parcels to needy families
BRAINTREE foodbank has given out more than 41 tonnes of food to needy families in the two years since it opened.
The volunteer-run charity that handed out its first food parcels in April 2012, has fed over 5,000 people since, a third of whom have been children.
This figure represents around three per cent of the population of the Braintree district, with over 3,300 people fed in the last year alone.
"It's remarkable how the food bank has expanded since it was first set up by Christ Church," says Alan Pinnell, director.
"We now have nearly 50 agencies working in partnership with us to help people through a crisis.
"There are now four locations across Braintree, Witham and Halstead where people in crisis can receive an emergency three-day supply of food. The statistics help us find out why people need emergency food and who they were referred by.
"All of this would not be possible without our 250 volunteers and the generosity of the public in donating food. We are glad that we can meet these needs but we hope that one day foodbanks and other organisations like this will no longer be required."
The foodbank provides a three-day emergency supply of meals in exchange for vouchers issued by agencies, such as social services, First Stop, Home-Start, and the women's refuge.
Over 29 tonnes were distributed between March 2013 to April 2014, more than double the previous year's total of 12 tonnes.
The foodbank's second anniversary on April 20 was marked with a volunteers' morning at Christ Church, Braintree, and a short service of thanksgiving led by the Reverend Peter Goodhall.
Braintree MP Brooks Newmark paid a visit to the foodbank's Christ Church distribution centre last Friday.
He said: "I think the work the foodbank volunteers do is excellent and they are meeting a need in the community.
"I think it's important charities do play their role. It is not for the state to provide charitable work, that's why they get the tax breaks, they are doing work for the community. Most people come to the food bank as a one-off, usually when circumstances change and they are between benefit payments with a two or three-week gap.
"This is something I will be raising with Ian Duncan-Smith to see how we can stop people falling through the cracks."
"But I think the overall picture for Braintree is promising. Unemployment is dropping and as more people find work and get more hours in part-time work less people will need this service."
There are four distribution centres in the Braintree Area Foodbank network, the Witham Foodbank is at the Methodist Church in Guithavon Street and Braintree Area Foodbank is at St Andrew's Church in Halstead and the Baptist Church and Christ Church in Braintree.
Duke Street and New Street will be closed for Queen's visit to Chelmsford
Elsewhere in Essex the A12 is slow on the Brentwood bypass at junction 12 Londonbound, with the A1023 Mountnessing. On the A120 at Braintree there's slow moving traffic southbound between Marks Farm roundabout and Galley's Corner roundabout. There is also slow traffic on the A13 Londonbound between North Stifford and Lakeside. On the M25 Greater London the traffic is very slow anticlockwise between junction 28, with the A1023 Brook Street roundabout and junction 27 with the M11 due to roadworks in the area, with queuing traffic on the M25 clockwise at the Dartford bridge. There's slow traffic on A127 Southend Arterial Road Londonbound between Basildon and Halfway House and between the Little Warley Hall Lane junction and Romford. On the M11 queues of traffic southbound between junction 5, at the A1168 Loughton and junction 4, at A406 is also causing problems for motorists.
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A spot of rain here in Chelmsford but it won't dampen anyone's spirits pic.twitter.com/4V4E5oqIPM
— William Watkinson (@Will_Watkinson) May 6, 2014
Meanwhile inside the Cathedral members of the public, councillors, and dignitaries listened alongside their special guest as Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Chelmsford, gave a sermon.
"Your Majesty, we are deeply honoured that you have come to this diocese and to this cathedral church to share in our centenary," he said.
"We love the communities of East London and Essex, and with our ecumenical partners, and with all people of goodwill, we are determined to do our best to serve the common good here and to make Jesus known." Read the Bishop's full sermon here
It was also played in the Cathedral grounds via a loudspeaker.The service ended at around 12.15pm before The Queen and Prince Philip then headed off to Felsted School to celebrate its 450th anniversary Crowds started to disperse and the city centre roads re-opened. Afterwards, The Very Revd Nicholas Henshall, the dean of Chelmsford for the last three months, walked the queen through the Cathedral grounds as she waved to passers-by. "It was a glorious day and a wonderful occasion," he said. "There was a real sense of expectation and it was wonderful encountering her with the members of our community. "It was fantastic to see the crowds greet her and to see children from the Chelmsford Cathedral School so happy today. "The way she reacted to people - she was very understanding and friendly." "She made the occasion not about her but for the people and not about her – she was very much part and parcel of the proceedings which is the anniversary of the regional diocese and a celebration of the life that we share. "She knows that she represents the church and regards the church as part of her identity. "As a new city we need to recognise our identity better – which is something we are proud to be." After the ceremony The Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell introduced Her Majesty to a number of volunteers who work with the diocese. He said: "The crowds were amazing and we have all had a wonderful day. "It was a beautiful day and the icing on the cake to a number of celebrations that we have planned over our centenary festival. "It was a joy to welcome Her Majesty to the Cathedral – we asked her some years ago but as with these things we only found out a few weeks ago that she would definitely attend. "She is a person of good faith and that's why she wanted to come. "She understands that the church matters and wants to bring people together. "She was very friendly to us all and had a great sense of humour." Percy Lomax, 70, attended the Cathedral school as a child and works with the Diocese as chairman of the board of finance. He said: "This was the first time that I've met any of the royals and it was truly fascinating. "It was great to meet them both actually. "As I'm chairman of the finance board Prince Phillip asked if I always got along with the audit committee, which was funny. "They were both very friendly and put everyone at ease – I'm a royalist anyway and it was a very fun day." On the other side of the security barriers Lucy Codling, 19, from Chelmsford saw the motorcade as it arrived. "It was very exciting," she said. "I love the Queen and I liked her dress." Kellie Woolf, 43, also from Chelmsford said: "I love the fact that we have a royal family and we all screamed when she arrived." The Chelmsford Cathedral will welcome the Archbishop of Canterbury next week as part of the celebrations.A lovely service and a real buzz in @CCathedral this morning. It was an honour to be a part of it.
— ChelmsMayor (@ChelmsMayor) May 6, 2014