Following an incident in Colchester High Street in April, an individual who racially abused a North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) member of staff has been successfully prosecuted and issued with a 12-month suspended service.
During the incident, a member of the public directed racially abusive behaviour towards one of NEPP’s Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) shouting offensive and hate filled remarks towards them. The incident was reported to Essex Police together with footage from the CEO’s body-worn camera, which has resulted in this successful police prosecution.
In addition to the suspended sentence, the individual has been ordered to attend an alcohol awareness programme and anger management course as part of their rehabilitiation.
The victim has also been awarded £75 in compensation for the incident.
Councillor Paul Honeywood, Chair of the North Essex Parking Partnership, said: “Our staff have the right to do their job without fear or intimidation. We have a duty of care to our staff and take a zero-tolerance approach towards abuse and hate crime of any form.
“The behavior directed at our Civil Enforcement Officer during this incident was completely unacceptable. I commend our member of staff for reporting the incident and capturing vital footage, which has played a crucial role in achieving justice.”
This week is Antisocial Behaviour Awareness Week and a great opportunity to highlight this issue and that staff safety in our communities is a top priority for the organisation.
Information about how NEPP protects its frontline staff can be found on its website.
