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Director is forced to spend thousands removing travellers
9:59am Wednesday 2nd April 2008
By Lucy Tatchell »
A COMPANY director has been forced to spend thousands of pounds removing a group of travellers who have moved on to his factory site.
Charles Sterling said he was forced to employ the services of a private company to get rid of the travellers, after West Mercia Constabulary said it had been advised not to help.
Mr Sterling discovered 10 caravans and six vans had moved on to the car park behind Sterling Power Products Ltd's factory in Droitwich on Sunday.
The camp is housing about 40 travellers, horses and dogs.
He immediately called police, but despite being sympathetic, officers refused to take action against the travellers.
Mr Sterling bought the factory site in Wassage Way on the Hampton Lovett Industrial Estate in Droitwich in December last year.
The plan was to move the expanding company there, but the makeshift camp has meant running the business has been impossible.
"We cannot use the factory," he said.
"We are in the process of starting to move up there, but the whole back area has just been taken over."
Mr Sterling has now employed Uniqwin, an investigation and security consultancy, to get rid of the travellers. Yesterday it served an eviction notice giving the travellers 24 hours to leave, at a cost of £1,000.
If they do not, the company will forcibly remove them at a further cost of £4,000. "There are statutory powers for police to move travellers on but Worcestershire decided not to enforce those so the travellers target Worcester," said Mr Sterling.
"I now have to go to the expense of, in a nut shell, dial-an-army' to remove them myself.
"What do you do? The police are no use so I have to do rent an army."
Inspector Stephen Brooker , of West Mercia Constabulary, confirmed the police did have powers to remove travellers, but said the Home Office had directed forces to take into account the needs of travellers before using it.
"We have to take into consideration the needs of all communities and consider the impact on the travellers if they were to be moved," he said.
He added the police would move them if they were causing a disruption to the community, for example on a school playing field and would support any court or removal action to make them leave private land.
Your Say Your Worcester
hotfuzz, Stourport says...
1:35pm Wed 2 Apr 08
nspector Stephen Brooker , of West Mercia Constabulary, confirmed the police did have powers to remove travellers, but said the Home Office had directed forces to take into account the needs of travellers before using it.
I believe that the West Midlands police area have less of this sort of trouble because they are more robust in their dealing with these situations!!
This Droitwich Police response is just typical of the impotent law enforcement we have to endure and it is a form of discrimination AGAINST land and property owners and local residents. Most of these sites are left in a diabolical mess apaert from the nuisance value.
There has been a site set up on a public car park at Leominster recently - I bet that apart from not Paying and Displaying these people will not be chased up for their flagrant abuse of the car park and the 'excess charge' that ordinary local people would be hounded for if they overstay or don't purchase a ticket!!
When is the ordinary person going to get fair play from their local police and the Home Office - they just pass the buck and make lame excuses.
ken18, worcester says...
2:25pm Wed 2 Apr 08
ken18, worcester says...
2:25pm Wed 2 Apr 08
everwatchful, Fernhill Heath says...
3:14pm Wed 2 Apr 08
everwatchful, Fernhill Heath says...
3:14pm Wed 2 Apr 08
varien, worcester says...
4:41pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Their inability and reluctance to uphold the law is beyond belief.
For Mr Sterling to pay someone to move these travellers on means he has paid twice. Once to the private organisation he has employed and once for the police (to supposedly do their job)through his council tax.
varien, worcester says...
4:41pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Their inability and reluctance to uphold the law is beyond belief.
For Mr Sterling to pay someone to move these travellers on means he has paid twice. Once to the private organisation he has employed and once for the police (to supposedly do their job)through his council tax.
Stan Parr, Pershore says...
6:12pm Wed 2 Apr 08
I wonder who THEY were? There's plenty of work for them in Worcestershire - could the council also not employ them, on our behalf?
Now that WOULD be money well spent!
The police possibly do not imtervene, because these "travellers" usually carry baseball bats - I know, they took one from my own warehouse when they broke in, in 1998! (It was for my own sporting use, you understand!)
They tend to speak that sort of language, when they leave their new 4 x 4s.
Stan Parr, Pershore says...
6:12pm Wed 2 Apr 08
I wonder who THEY were? There's plenty of work for them in Worcestershire - could the council also not employ them, on our behalf?
Now that WOULD be money well spent!
The police possibly do not imtervene, because these "travellers" usually carry baseball bats - I know, they took one from my own warehouse when they broke in, in 1998! (It was for my own sporting use, you understand!)
They tend to speak that sort of language, when they leave their new 4 x 4s.
ds, worcester says...
9:26pm Wed 2 Apr 08
ds, worcester says...
9:26pm Wed 2 Apr 08
lucylamb, chesterfield says...
10:04pm Wed 2 Apr 08
lucylamb, chesterfield says...
10:04pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Gypsylad1, any where in the uk says...
11:08pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Gypsylad1, any where in the uk says...
11:08pm Wed 2 Apr 08
Logik, worcester says...
1:25am Thu 3 Apr 08
Gypsylad1 wrote:Nice grammar!
<i> **** the police it your right to stay there so you just listen to me all you gypsy and travelers out i am a gypsy my self so i know what there like they are all **** the police cant do **** all so just stay on there out to all gypsy and travelers out there just reamer that we rule around here dont </i>
Can tell that you missed out on an education ( that's EDUCASHUN).
When you people pay your taxes like the rest of us, then, and only then, do you deserve any rights.
Don't forget to tell your mates to clean up and take their mess with them.
Logik, worcester says...
1:25am Thu 3 Apr 08
Gypsylad1 wrote:Nice grammar!
<i> **** the police it your right to stay there so you just listen to me all you gypsy and travelers out i am a gypsy my self so i know what there like they are all **** the police cant do **** all so just stay on there out to all gypsy and travelers out there just reamer that we rule around here dont </i>
Can tell that you missed out on an education ( that's EDUCASHUN).
When you people pay your taxes like the rest of us, then, and only then, do you deserve any rights.
Don't forget to tell your mates to clean up and take their mess with them.
kel, Worcester says...
3:31pm Thu 3 Apr 08
kel, Worcester says...
3:31pm Thu 3 Apr 08
Biggles, Worcester says...
8:19pm Mon 7 Apr 08
There you are, plain & simple, if not pc !
Biggles, Worcester says...
8:19pm Mon 7 Apr 08
There you are, plain & simple, if not pc !
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FORCED: Charles Stirling
SITE: caravans on Hampton Lovett Industrial Estate
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hotfuzz, Stourport says...
1:35pm Wed 2 Apr 08
I believe that the West Midlands police area have less of this sort of trouble because they are more robust in their dealing with these situations!!
This Droitwich Police response is just typical of the impotent law enforcement we have to endure and it is a form of discrimination AGAINST land and property owners and local residents. Most of these sites are left in a diabolical mess apaert from the nuisance value.
There has been a site set up on a public car park at Leominster recently - I bet that apart from not Paying and Displaying these people will not be chased up for their flagrant abuse of the car park and the 'excess charge' that ordinary local people would be hounded for if they overstay or don't purchase a ticket!!
When is the ordinary person going to get fair play from their local police and the Home Office - they just pass the buck and make lame excuses.