THE CROWN PROSECUTION Service (CPS) has decided to take no further action over a comment made by a Thurrock councillor.
In August, 2013, Corringham and Fobbing councillor, Mark Coxshall (Cons) suggested a travellers’ site in Thurrock would look like “My Big Fat Gypsy Cesspit”.
The comments were made in a Thurrock Conservatives press release in response to the council’s decision to reject a planning application from a group of travellers, living in Stanford-le-Hope.
Cllr Coxshall was interviewed by the police under caution. Subsequently, a report was sent to the CPS in December. They advised Essex Police that there was “Insufficient evidence for incitement…and so little prospect of a conviction.”
Cllr Coxshall has always stood by his comments and maintained that they were neither racist nor “hate-fuelled”.
YT understands that a separate complaint, on the same matter, made to Thurrock Council is still on-going.
Cllr Coxshall is unavailable for comment.
YT understands that a separate complaint, on the same matter, made to Thurrock Council is still on-going.
Now that the CPS has done Thurrock Council’s legal department work for them it’s hardly surprising that a separate complaint will get anywhere.
Had Thurrock’s monitoring officer made a decision on this matter perhaps the CPS would have followed suit I believe the time frame involved in a complaint is 30 working days I think this complaint has been around for a lot longer than this, and when Thurrock’s monitoring officer enlightens us with her decision perhaps then she will explain why it took over 30 working days to come to that decision
I believe there is another alternative, that being a civil action and I sincerely hope the Wards take up this alternative
Good.
Now Thurrock Council should stop wasting our money by having someone to deal with this ‘complaint’. That person could be used more efficiently dealing with tenants in mouldy houses for example.