Officers and staff honoured at Serious Crime Directorate awards

The dismantling of an organised gang responsible for serious offences in Kent and Essex resulted in awards for a number of police officers and staff.

Edward Dooley, 24, Kacey Adams, 34, and Daniel Wallace, 33, were behind the shooting of a man in Stanford-Le-Hope, Essex, on Tuesday 10 May 2016, which left him blinded in one eye and with other serious injuries after he suffered a single shotgun blast to the face.

Adams and Wallace had also tortured an elderly couple with boiling water while burgling their home during a separate incident in Halstead near Sevenoaks, Kent, less than a month earlier.

Thanks to the efforts of two teams of officers from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate (SCD), both Adams and Wallace must now serve at least 30 years behind bars while Dooley will be imprisoned for 25 before being eligible for parole.

An awards ceremony to recognise their achievements, as well as those of other SCD officers, was held at North Kent Police Station, Northfleet, on Monday 23 October 2017.

Among them were retired Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Smith, senior crime scene investigator Gareth Jones and complex case worker Wayne Stockley from the Crown Prosecution Service for the Essex shooting, and Detective Inspector Mat Scott for the Sevenoaks burglary.

Presentation ceremony

A total of more than 40 men and women were honoured at the awards ceremony, which was attended by Kent Chief Constable Alan Pughsley, Kent Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, Essex Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh and Essex Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Jane Gardner.

Mat Scott and Rob Haines

The awards were presented by the head of the Serious Crime Directorate, Assistant Chief Constable Nick Downing.

He said: ‘I am very proud to be able to recognise officers, staff and partners for their exceptional work in securing the best possible outcomes for victims of serious crimes and their families, and for helping to keep Kent and Essex as safe places in which to live, work and visit.

Matthew Lincoln

‘It takes a special kind of person to be able to investigate serious crimes, which are often complex in nature and highly emotive for those affected by them. Fortunately we have such people in abundance and I am constantly impressed by their work ethic, professionalism and dedication to securing positive outcomes for the communities they serve.

‘From investigating historic crimes and frauds to murders, armed robberies and kidnappings, the directorate has proved to be a valuable asset shared between Kent and Essex.’

Simon Brown

Other recipients included:

• Detective Constable Matthew Lincoln, who received a certificate of merit for outstanding professionalism and victim care following his investigation into the kidnapping of a woman in Chatham in April 2016. Three people were jailed for a total of 29 years after the victim, who was aged just 19, was bundled into a car and forced to endure a series of attacks including being assaulted with a baseball bat, a knuckleduster and a dog chain.

• Vehicle examiner Simon Brown, who provided invaluable assistance in an investigation into a sophisticated operation to dismantle stolen vehicles at a barn in Farningham, Sevenoaks. Four people were jailed for the conspiracy, which was run between February and August 2016.

• Detective Sergeant Mick Ruddock and Detective Constable Tina Duffus, for their professionalism and witness care during their investigation into the murder of Michael Beckwith in Harwich, Essex, in July 2016. Mr Beckwith was attacked by two men wielding batons, who along with his former partner who had helped to arrange the incident are now serving a combined total of 53 years in prison.

• Detective Chief Inspector Tony Pledger and Detective Constable Geoff McCreery, for their exceptional investigation into the death of Philip Fox in Canterbury, Kent, following the discovery of his body in April 2016. Through their enquiries they established that Mr Fox had been murdered the previous August and were able to identify the man responsible, who is now serving life imprisonment.

• Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore, Detective Sergeant Liz Morgan, Detective Constable Lisa Gregory and Detective Constable Dave McGorrell were recognised for their investigation into a complex people-smuggling case, which was launched following the discovery of 35 men, women and children inside a shipping container at the Port of Tilbury, Essex, in August 2014. One man had died inside the container, which had been transported into the UK on board a freight ferry from Belgium. Three men were later arrested and jailed for conspiring to facilitate illegal entry into the country.

• Detective Inspector Mat Scott and Detective Inspector Rob Haines were recognised for their tireless work in bringing 19 members of an organised criminal group to justice. The investigation related to the supply of controlled drugs and money laundering in west Kent and East Sussex between April 2013 and June 2014.