Parish Councillor Arrested Following Incident at Traveller Encampment

Published on: 25 Aug, 2017
Updated on: 27 Aug, 2017

Parish Cllr James Nicholls in front of his car which he had used to block the entrance of the playing fields in Effingham where Gypsies and Travellers are encamped.

By Chris Dick

An Effingham parish councillor was breathalysed and arrested this morning (August 25, 2017) after he had blocked the entrance to playing fields where Gypsies and Travellers are encamped.

Several members of the encampment spent an hour attempting to persuade Cllr James Nicholls to move his car, which he had used to block the entrance of the King George V playing fields, before the police were called by a concerned nearby resident. Once called, police officers arrived within minutes.

Police officers talking to Cllr Nicholls before breathalysing him.

At one point Nicholls, a member of the Surrey Gypsy Traveller Forum, was seen to threaten one of the male Travellers. But when invited by the Traveller to “take a swing” amputee Nicholls said: “What? Is a bloke with one leg going to hit you?”

Having been told by some of the Travellers that Nicholls had driven on the main road to get to the playing fields entrance, the police immediately breathalysed the councillor and arrested him.

One of the Travellers pointed out tyre track marks where he claimed Nicholls had driven towards one of the caravans at speed the previous day.

Tyre tracks said to have been made the previous day by Cllr Nicholls.

A police spokesperson said later: “A man in his 60s has been arrested in relation to an incident in Effingham this morning (25 August).

“Officers were called following reports of a disturbance at the King George V playing fields around 8.40am. The man, who is from Effingham, was arrested on suspicion of a number of offences and remains in custody at this time.”

Responses to Parish Councillor Arrested Following Incident at Traveller Encampment

Name supplied Reply

August 25, 2017 at 7:24 pm

On behalf of Effingham residents, thank you Surrey Police, about time too.
Owen Ward Reply

August 29, 2017 at 10:38 am

The man has, it appears, difficulty with Traveller/ Gypsy encampments? Doesn’t he know that as a councillor he should state his concerns at the council table meetings, not as a one man crusade?
James Nicholls Reply

September 23, 2017 at 11:28 am

Firstly, I would like to thank those who commented although they were unlikely to be aware of the full facts and why should they?

I have spent 30 years living alongside our local indigenous gypsy and traveller families and work amongst them on a daily basis. My family have been friends with some members of those communities since the 1950s. Clearly, I cannot go into detail in the space available.

Recently there were two illegal encampments – one on the Common and another on the playfields. I supported the ones on the Common by liaising with them and the borough council regarding the supply of water and collection of refuse. However, the ones on the playing fields were totally wrong in camping there.

These are maintained fields used every week for sports. So if I decided to defend my village and our playing fields then that was my decision. If I have done wrong then the law will take its course. I do not hide behind anonymity in my actions or my comments.

I am a parish councillor and will take my seat at 8pm at the parish council meeting this Tuesday (September 26, 2017) and I will answer any question from anybody. I will not require people to give me prior notice of any questions they may wish to ask.

I am the only councillor born in Effingham and in 60 years never have lived further than 150 yards from our fields.
Liz Hogger Reply

September 24, 2017 at 7:38 pm

I am horrified by James Nicholls’ attempted justification of his actions, given that he has now been charged with four criminal offences (https://guildford-dragon.com/2017/08/30/parish-councillor-charged-four-offences/). The only proper way to defend our village and the King George V Playing Fields is to act within the law.

Many in Effingham care passionately about the village and the playing fields; it’s why parish councillors and the Trustees of the KGV devote so much of their time working for our community. When the Traveller incursion happened, the Trustees, with the support of most parish councillors, operated effectively within the law. We gained an eviction order through the courts, worked in close cooperation with the police, and talked to the Travellers to make sure they understood the impact their actions had on the community.

As a result, the Travellers left peacefully two days before the eviction order was confirmed and they tucked themselves away at the eastern edge of the fields so that sporting events including rugby and cricket could take place on the main pitches.

Yes, of course, the Travellers were acting illegally, just as they were at Effingham Common. (I don’t understand why James Nicholls apparently regards one incursion as more wrong than the other.) However for James Nicholls to attempt to take the law into his own hands is totally unacceptable and there can be no excuse for such behaviour.

Liz Hogger, is the Lib Dem borough councillor for Effingham