THANKS to their determined professionalism, roads policing officers have secured justice for the family of a woman who died following a collision in 2022 for a second time, as a man has been recalled to prison to complete his sentence.

Roads policing officers acted swiftly after receiving information that a disqualified driver was using a Mercedes car in the Southend area on Wednesday 4 March.

Officers attended an address in Denton Avenue, arriving just as the vehicle reversed onto a driveway. A man was clearly seen in the driver’s seat with passengers inside.

Thirty-six-year-old Nathan Towers was immediately arrested inside the car outside his home.

As a result, he was remanded into custody and appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court the next day, where he pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified and was sentenced to six weeks’ imprisonment and received a second driving ban.

Nathan Towers had previously been banned from driving until 2030 following his court trial for causing the death of his then partner, 20-year-old Jess Waterman, from Epping.

Tragically, Jess lost her life after a single vehicle collision in Houblons Hill, Epping, when Towers was driving on Saturday 19 February 2022, just three days before her 21st birthday. No other car was involved.

Towers had been convicted of causing her death by careless driving, perverting the course of justice, and fraud at the end of a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court in 2023.

However, he was released from prison on licence in February 2025 with a 10-year driving disqualification.

This new conviction meant a breach of probation rules, and he was recalled to prison to complete the remainder of his original sentence of four years and three months.

Mr Adam Pipe, of Essex Police’s Roads Policing Unit said:

“Our officers are dedicated to identifying and dealing robustly with those who pose a danger on our roads, to bring them swiftly before the courts.

“Thanks to the support of the court and partners, this is true in the case of Nathan Towers – he was back in prison within 24 hours of his arrest because of non-compliance with his licence conditions.

“Disqualified drivers often make a deliberate choice to ignore the law and put others at risk, including their own passengers.

“The actions taken by the officers involved in this case show the diligence and determination of our roads policing team to protect the public and ensure that those who continue to endanger lives are held to account.”

Upon hearing that the man responsible for their daughter’s death was recalled to prison, the Waterman family, who had previously described Jess as “beautiful inside and out”, had this to say:

“We’ll always be Jess’s voice and will do our upmost to help keep our roads safe.

“We’re so grateful to the traffic police for everything they do.

“Continue to do what you’re doing.

“The good ones are in short supply, but they earn the greatest respect.”