8 | NEWS
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Anger over car meets FROMTHECOURTS n Continued from front page
Mr Watson said they fear it could be putting children at risk and urge the motorists to rent a spot out of town. “I’m not sure why the meets need to happen in a town centre or residential areas,” they said. “Revving engines outside people’s homes is completely unnecessary. “Car owners [wishing] to show off can’t justifiably come at the cost of families trying to live and sleep in peace.” Wescott ward councillor Maria Gee said she had been contacted by a number of scared residents angry that their Saturday night had been ruined by the noisy motorists. “There were reports from residents of upwards of 100 cars at the meet, some queuing on Elms Road to enter the car park,” she said. “Residents reported calling the police as soon as it was obvious this was going to be a major problem but police took a reported three hours to arrive and initially sent only one car. “The police did manage to disperse the meet.” She felt the size of the meeting was worrying: “Residents are feeling anxious and scared, but also frustrated with the lack of action; one resident reported a meet there in June to the police, but no action seems to have been taken.” Wokingham Borough Council have installed barriers and CCTV into the Carnival multi-storey car park, and Cllr Gee called for NCP, which managed Elms Road car park, to do similar. “I have also written to (Matthew Barber) the police and crime commissioner (PCC) to ask him to work with senior officers to find out why the police response was so delayed and, initially, very limited,” she said. “I appreciate funding pressures on the police mean they must prioritise and juggle their resources, but the car meets are, in my opinion, a danger to the public, and require a swift police response.” Cllr Pauline Jorgensen, executive member for transport at the borough council said she has already spoken to Mr Barber and called for these issues to be a higher priority as part of his new plan for policing. “I realise they have competing demands but anti-social behaviour like this needs to be countered by strong policing and I will be writing an open letter to the commissioner calling for more action,” she added. Cllr Gee also called on council leader John Halsall to do more. “These car meets are advertised very widely and drivers come from many miles away. Unlike Cllr Halsall, residents do not believe that this behaviour is part of the ‘funny and rebellious’ nature of youth (Wokingham Today, June 4). “I do not believe that car meets are ‘just’ antisocial behaviour; they are threatening to car park users and residents, and are inevitably going to lead to injuries and, potentially, deaths. This is a matter of public safety. “I have written to Cllr Halsall, and I’ve asked him to condemn them. Residents are demanding action, and so am I.” Labour group leader Cllr Rachel Burgess, who lives in Norreys ward, said: “I heard the appalling noise on Saturday night, it made a significant impact on our evening. “The disturbance was reported to police several times but each time we were told they would attend ‘once resources were available’. “The fact is Thames Valley Police ran out of police on Saturday night and residents were left wondering if the rule of law still applied. “The blame for lack of police lies with the Conservatives. They chose to cut police numbers. and Thames Valley Police has never recovered from the savage cuts inflicted on it.” Cllr Halsall said that the racing was not easy for council officers to sort out, but urged residents to report problems. “We can do a myriad of things which make it more difficult, (for the meets to be held) but public nuisance is a police matter,” he said. “All we can do is make our car parks less accessible, which is what we will try and do.” He added that the council had no jurisdiction on speeding in the borough, that was a police matter.
A WOKINGHAM man who drove while under the influence of drugs has been banned from getting behind the wheel for two years. Simon Anthony White, 41 and from Frederick Place, was stopped in St Paul’s Gate on August 2 last year. Officers conducting a test found that he had traces of benzoylecgonine, a form of cocaine, and traces of MDMA in his bloodstream. White was also guilty of driving without insurance. For this, he was fined £300, and ordered to pay costs of £85 and £130 to victim services, at a rate of £200 per month. White appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on June 7. A SLOUGH teenager has been ordered to undertake 84 hours of community service after being caught in Wokingham with a class B drug. David Johnson, 19 and from Tendy Court, was stopped on November 6, 2018. In his possession was a quantity of ketmine, and a quanty of cannabis. At a June 7 hearing at Reading Magistrates Court, he was found guilty of possession with intent to supply. In addition to his community service, Johnson must pay costs of £60, at a rate of £5 per week. A SHINFIELD man has been banned from driving for 20 months after being caught behind
WOKINGHAM.TODAY Thursday, August 12, 2021
Cases heard in Reading and Slough Magistrates Courts in recent weeks
the wheel while serving another ban. Jaroslaw Kolodziej, 39 and from Downham Court, was stopped on Wilderness Road on October 30 last year, where he was also found guilty of driving without insurance. He pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates Court on June 8, and was ordered to undertake 180 hours of community service in addition to the ban. Kolodziej must also pay £85 costs and £95 to victim services. AN EARLEY woman who stripped naked outside Reading Police Station and assaulted a police officer has been jailed for eight weeks. Gemma Yvonne Hopkins, 34 and from Wickford Way, was convicted of an act of outraging public decency by behaving in an indecent manner after her nude dancing outside the station on June 8 this year. The following day, she assaulted a police officer in Wokingham. She pleaded guilty at a hearing at Reading Magistrates Court on June 9, and each offence was given a four-week sentence. Magistrates noted that a jail term was warranted because of the nature
and seriousness of the offences, as well as spitting during the pandemic and Hopkins failing to engage with appropriate agencies. However, magistrates also noted that she was detained in the courthouse and that her detention was deemed served by the amount of time spent in custody. Hopkins must also pay £128 to victim services. DRIVING while over the limit has seen a Winnersh man banned from driving for four years. Mark Roy Passmore, 35 and from Winnersh Grove, was stopped on Beeston Way in Lower Earley on October 30 last year. Police conducting a test found 117 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, above the limit. Passmore’s ban – 48 months – also included 80 hours of community service. He must also pay £85 costs and £95 to victim services. A WOODLEY man who drug-drove has been banned from getting behind the wheel for a year. Darren Roy Fordyce, 48 and from Badgers Rise, was stopped on Chalfont Way on December 11 last year. A test found traces of benzoylecgonine, a form of cocaine, in his bloodstream. In addition to the ban, Fordyce must pay £85 costs and £34 to victim services. He pleaded guilty when he
appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on June 10. A WOKINGHAM man who assaulted a woman has been fined £600. Matthew James Dozier, 35 and from Barkham Road, had pleaded not guilty to the beating, which took place on June 27 last year. However, magistrates at a hearing on June 10 this year disagreed. In addition to his fine, he must pay £700 costs and £60 to victim services. His victim was awarded £250 compensation. Dozier may pay at a rate of £300 per month. A WINNERSH man who was drunk driving while in possession of class B drugs has been ordered to undertake 180 hours of community service. Nigel Simanyayi, 31 and from Bathurst Road, was stopped on Bathurst Road on July 31. A test found that he had 77 micrograms of alcohol in his bloodstream, exceeding the limit, while a search found two bags of cannabis. He was fined £100 for the drugs, which have been confiscated and destroyed. He was also found guilty of failing to provide a blood test at Loddon Valley Police Station. Simanyayi has been banned from driving for 46 months, ordered to pay £775 costs and £95 to victim services. He may pay at a rate of £50 per month.
Wokingham Festival returns to stage EXCLUSIVE By LAURA SCARDARELLA lscardarella@wokingham. today WOKINGHAM Festival is to return for three days of late summer fun this bank holiday weekend.
Kicking off on Saturday, August 28, the annual event will provide a range of music, food and drink at Cantley Park, Wokingham. The festival will see 40 artists from across the borough and beyond take to the stage with music from all genres for everyone to enjoy. There is also a real ale bar from the team behind Twyford Beer Festival. Artists include Wille and the Bandits, Unikque, The Skangsters, Flutatious, The Room, Bruce Juice, Fred’s House, R2-A Tribute to Rush, Zeppelin Kids, The Paradox Twin, Kyros and more. Performances will take place on both the main TradeMark Stage and the Wokingham Music Club Stage. The festival will be joined by special guests who will host each day, introducing the artists on the main TradeMark Stage. On Saturday, BBC Radio
Berkshire’s DJ Andy Jones will host, and on Sunday, artists will be introduced by voiceover artist and bass player from The Room, Andy Rowe. On Monday, festivalgoers will be welcomed to the event by Planet Rock DJ, Darren Redick. Festival founder Stan Hetherington, who also runs the Wokingham Music Club, said he is really excited about this year’s event. “We have a great line-up, some wonderful traders, albeit not as many as previous years due to our desire to give our audience a bit more space,” he said. “This year’s festival is getting a great reaction from residents, and Wokingham Festival 2021 is looking as if it will be our best ever.” Drinks will be available across three bars: The Beer Festival Bar, the Redan Cocktail Bar and the
BANK HOLIDAY: The three-day festival will feature 40 artists, performing live in Cantley Park Wokingham Music Club Bar. Food stands and children’s entertainment will also be provided throughout the weekend. Covid measures will still be adhered to, including Track and Trace details for visitors. “The festival is run by a team of enthusiastic and
hard-working volunteers from the local area and we all share a passion for quality live music in a friendly, enjoyable atmosphere,” Mr Hetherington said. “We only charge low prices for tickets but we deliver stages much bigger than we should be able to
because of our volunteers and the community spirit which is also helped by the great support from Wokingham Borough Council.” Weekend and day tickets are now on sale. n For more details, or to book, log on to wokinghamfestival. co.uk
