Three people charged following assault near Thomas Knyvett College in Ashford

Three people will appear in court after two teenage girls were assaulted outside the Thomas Knyvett College in Ashford on 6 February 2023. 

 

 

The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised charges against three people, including:

• A 15-year-old girl from Stanwell, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with assaulting a person occasioning them actual bodily harm (ABH) and racially/religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH).  She was also charged with sending a letter/communication/article conveying a threatening message in relation to an incident on 4 February 2023.
• A 16-year-old girl from Stanwell, who also can’t be named for legal reasons, has been charged with assaulting a person occasioning them actual bodily harm (ABH) and assault by beating.
• Winnie Connors, 39, of Shaw Close, Staines-upon-Thames, has been charged with intentionally encouraging/assisting the commission of an indictable only offence under the Serious Crime Act 2007.

 

All three are due to appear at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on 7 August.

Chief Inspector Dallas McDermott said: “This incident was very concerning and upsetting for all those directly involved and for the wider community. More than 50 officers and staff have worked both on the criminal investigation and to provide ongoing engagement with residents and community groups. The team has worked hard over the last few months to build a case to put before the Crown Prosecution Service and I would ask people to be mindful and not to speculate or pre-empt the outcome before the matter is heard at court.”

A CPS spokesperson said: “The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings in this case are now active and that the individuals charged have a right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

 

 

The review of the evidence was carried out in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

Any decision by the CPS does not imply any finding concerning guilt or criminal conduct; the CPS makes decisions only according to the test set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors and it is applied in all decisions on whether or not to prosecute.

It is not the function of the CPS to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal court to consider. 

A further three people were also arrested when police responded to reports of an assault near the junction with Stanwell Road and Salcombe Road in Ashford around 2.30pm on 6 February.

These included two 11-year-old girls, who were arrested on suspicion of attempted racially aggravated grievous bodily harm (GBH). A case file in relation to the girls was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service which decided there was insufficient evidence to charge. A 43-year-old man, arrested on suspicion of child neglect and intentionally encouraging and assisting the commission of an indictable only offence, was also released with no further action on 29 March. 

One of the victims required medical treatment in hospital and both have received support from specialist officers.

A 31-year-old man was also interviewed in relation to a public order incident within the vicinity of Shaw Close, Stanwell, on 13 February 2023. This occurred during a protest which took place in response to the assault. A case file was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service which made the decision not to take any further action against this individual.