A joint two year cannabis-seizing operation in Avon and South Wales has ended with the arrest of eight people yesterday. Overall, 7,500 cannabis plants worth an estimated £3.5 million and more than £400,000 in cash have been confiscated by police from Avon and Somerset, South Wales, and Gwent.
Bristol support teacher jailed for grooming 15 year old
Jon Davies has been sentenced to three years in jail Credit: Avon & Somerset Police
A learning support teacher from Bristol has been sentenced to 3 years in jail for grooming a teenage girl. Jon Davies was given the sentence after he pleaded guilty to grooming and sexually assaulting the 15 year old.
The victim said Davies began grooming her in August 2012 and for a number of months after. He inundated her with messages via social networking sites, text and by leaving notes in the victim's bed for her to find. He then went on to sexually abuse her.
Davies, who was also a rugby club chairman, was also handed a sexual offences prevention order, prohibiting physical and internet contact with girls under the age of 16. The offences did not occur at the school or the rugby club.
Mr Davies was ordered to sign the sex offenders register.
Police say a man that was stabbed at Weston College this afternoon was not a student at the college.
Emergency services were called to the college shortly after 2pm after the 19 year old turned up at the college with serious injuries to ask for help.
He told staff he had been stabbed nearby at St John’s Football Club in Coleridge Road. He has been taken to hospital. Police are treating the incident as an assault and have launched a hunt for his attacker. The man's injuries are not thought to be life threatening.
Emergency services are at Weston College this afternoon following reports that a student has been stabbed.
Early indications are that the teenager’s injuries were sustained in an incident at a nearby St John’s Football Club, before he went to the college to ask for help.
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police told us they are treating the incident as an assault and the air ambulance has been called.
The next Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset Police has been proposed as Nick Gargan.
The Police and Crime Commissioner Sue Mountstevens announced her choice on Saturday morning.
She said " I am delighted to propose Nick Gargan as the next Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset. Nick is an experienced chief officer who has been working on a national level as Chief Constable and Chief Executive of the National Policing Improvement Agency. "
The decision must be confirmed by the Police and Crime Panel which meets on Wednesday. If they approve Mr Gargan as the next Police Chief, he will take up his role on March 1 2013.
Nick Gargan named as next Chief Constable of Avon and Somerset. Credit: Avon and Somerset Police
136 people were arrested and charged in Avon and Somerset's Christmas anti-drink and drugs campaign. 857 motorists were given breath tests.
The campaign targeted persistent offenders and venues know for drink and drug driving, rather than roadside breath tests. Three drivers were tested for drugs driving, but none was positive and the force received 20 texts to a special number set up for people to report suspected offenders.
We take drink and drug driving seriously all year round, now just at Christmas, and people should know that we will continue to target and bring to justice any drivers who put themselves and others in danger.
– Chief Inspector John Holt, Avon and Somerset Police
Police have arrested nearly 50 people for drink or drug driving across Avon and Somerset in the first week of the Operation Tonic Christmas campaign. Since it started on Dec 1, a total of 47 motorists who have been stopped have tested positive.
This Christmas police are asking people to shop a drink or drug driver by ringing 999 or texting the word drunk to a special number, 81819, from their mobile and giving the driver's details if they see anyone getting behind the wheel while under the influence.
I am very sad to hear that Colin Port is standing down as Chief Constable of Avon & Somerset Constabulary. Colin has been an outstanding Chief Constable over the last seven years and we will not find it easy to replace him with a person of such professionalism, integrity and quality of performance.
The new Police and Crime Commissioners will need to work hard to make sure they retain senior officers of high quality so that we don’t lose some of the top performers within our police service.