Basildon Essex
Archive for August, 2011
Brad Pitt to film in Billiericay
Aug 27th
A-LIST actor Brad Pitt is expected to arrive in the Billericay area on bank holiday Monday to shoot scenes for a forthcoming film.
It is thought the star of films such as Fight Club and Legends of the Fall will travel to Essex to shoot scenes for post-apocalyptic zombie movie World War Z.
He is expected to film scenes just outside the town, although the exact location is currently unknown.
via Hollywood star Brad Pitt expected to film in Billiericay on Monday From Echo.
UPDATE:
West Hanningfield, sources have confirmed. The actor, 47, will be shooting scenes at the Essex and Suffolk Water treatment works.
Man robbed at gunpoint in car park
Aug 24th
A MAN was threatened with a handgun during a late-night robbery in Basildon.
The 26-year-old victim was sitting in his car, a black BMW, in Somercotes, Laindon, at 11pm on Tuesday, when three men approached him – one holding a handgun.
The men forced their way into his car, threatened him with the gun and stole a mobile phone, satellite navigation system, watch and his keys.
They ran off towards Laindon railway station.
Copycat riot yob from Basildon jailed
Aug 23rd
Adrian Curtin, 22, was one of two people arrested as 350 yobs went on the rampage in the town centre last Tuesday (9 August 2011).
The youngsters were copying the riots in London and across the UK, but thanks to a large police presence, there was only minor damage to shops, and a boat hut was set alight.
Curtin, was approached by two police officers and as he was already subject to a suspended sentence, he ran off. He was later wrestled to the ground and continued to struggle.
Curtin admitted one charge of resisting arrest and two counts of shoplifting relating to the theft of alcohol from Bargain Booze and Asda in Basildon in May and August this year.
Mitigating Coral Fitzgerald said Curtin has slipped into a “downward spiral” after being made redundant from his job with delivery firm DHL.
He was jailed for 14 weeks.
A 17-year-old boy, arrested on suspicion of breaking into the bowling pavillion at Gloucester Park during the trouble, remains on police bail.
Huge Poundworld comes to Basildon
Aug 19th
A MASSIVE new Poundworld store is set to open in Basildon town centre in October.
The store will open on the site of the old Top Shop, Burger King and Game Station, in East Walk.
Nearby traders agreed it was positive the empty shops would be filled, but are disappointed it is to become another discount store.
Harry Shah, 53, who has run Gallery Gifts for 25 years, said: “It is nice the shop will be filled. It is a big space, so it’s good news it won’t be empty for much longer. But I don’t know why another pound shop is opening – we already have enough in the town.”
Crazy Dan’s House of Meat
Aug 18th
A NEW butchers is getting ready to open in Basildon town centre.
Crazy Dan’s House of Meat, which is being run by experienced butcher Dan George, will be opening in East Walk next Tuesday.
The shop will be using social networking site Twitter to advertise deals of the day and will also have screens in the shop where customers can send in their pictures of barbecues.
Crazy Dan’s House of Meat is set to open on Tuesday, August 23, from 8am.
via Have a butchers at meat man Dan’s new shop (From Echo).
UPDATE 15 Sep 11:
46 East Walk / twitter.com/Crazydanmeat / houseofmeat.co.uk
Basildon student spared jail after attack
Aug 14th
A DRUNK student who partially blinded a man in a savage attack has avoided jail.
Ben Redman, 22, from Basildon, punched his 53-year-old victim to the floor after being challenged by Stephen Hails for pushing a girl on to a car bonnet.
The victim has now completely lost vision in his left eye after the attack in Ipswich, where Redman studies at University Campus Suffolk.
Redman admitted causing grievous bodily harm and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years, and 250 hours of unpaid work. Redman must also keep to a two-month night-time curfew at his mother’s house in Basildon.
Claire Ashcroft, mitigating, said Redman had only been playfully pushing the girl in the run-up to the attack.
via Basildon student spared jail after vicious attack From Echo.
Convicted paedophile jailed for ten years
Aug 11th
A CONVICTED paedophile, who sexually assaulted a seven-year-old boy in a public toilet, has been jailed for 10-years.
Dean Freeman, 24, was living at the Felmores bail hostel at the time of the attack.
He grabbed the seven-year-old boy, dragged him into a toilet cubicle at Basildon’s Eastgate Centre and performed a sexual act on him.
Freeman formerly of Hamstel Road, Southend may never be freed.
via Attacker lived at Felmores bail hostel in Pitsea (From Echo).
Original Story:
Basildon cheapest place for commuters
Aug 11th
Basildon is the cheapest place to live for London commuters, a new study has revealed.
Property analyst CB Richard Ellis added up monthly mortgage repayments and travel costs to work out which of the 33 closest towns to central London was the cheapest.
Basildon is only 37 minutes by train from Fenchurch Street and monthly mortgage repayments and travel costs amount to £1,129.
This compares to an average monthly cost of £2,401 for living in central London.
The most expensive on the list was Beaconsfield, in Buckinghamshire, where monthly outgoing will cost about 31 per cent more, at £3,144, than in central London.
Updated: Disorder hits Basildon
Aug 10th
THE disorder which wreaked havoc across the UK arrived in South Essex overnight.
About 350 yobs descended on Basildon town centre, and police on horseback responded. One police woman was hurt.
Fire crews were attacked as they tackled a blaze in Basildon’s Gloucester Park.
Police were attacked as they tried to disperse a gang in the town centre who had been smashing shop windows and setting rubbish fires.
Four people have been arrested in connection with the trouble including two teenagers from Grays arrested for inciting violence on social networking sites.
Knife-wielding robber robs man
Aug 9th
A KNIFE-wielding robber forced a man to hand over his phone and cash during a terrifying attack.
The 21-year-old was walking in an alleyway in Quilters Straight, Basildon, when the attack happened.
He was approached by the thug who asked him for the time before pulling out a knife.
The raider then forced the terrified victim to hand over his £150 mobile phone and £90 in cash before fleeing.
Police probing the robbery are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.
The attack happened at 2.20am last Wednesday. (03 August 2011)
via Knife-wielding robber forces man to hand over phone and cash (From Echo).
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