DETECTIVES who identified four men involved in disorder in Epping in 2025 have seen two convicted and two others plead guilty to violent disorder.

What began with officers facilitating peaceful protest in Epping’s High Road on 17 July 2025 turned to disorder with several individuals assaulting officers and damaging police vehicles and street furniture over the course of the evening.

Now, after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court which began on 23 March, two more men were convicted on Friday 10 April:

• Lee Gower, 43, of Oak Piece in North Weald, was convicted of violent disorder. He was found not guilty of assaulting an emergency worker.

• Philip Curson, 53, of Brookmans Park Drive in Upminster, was convicted of violent disorder.

Luke Fleming, 21, of Thaxted Road in Buckhurst Hill, and Shaun Thompson, 38, of Buckingham Road in Epping, pleaded guilty to violent disorder on Monday 23 March before the trial began. 

Bodyworn footage showed all the defendants involved in confrontations with police officers, with Fleming and Curson both kicking officers while they kept the two groups of protestors apart.

Thompson damaged police vans when he climbed on top of them and he, Gower and Fleming hit and kicked the vehicles as they left the area.

In the days and weeks following the incident eleven men were charged with violent disorder among other offences, with four of them already pleading guilty and being sentenced.

Three further men (Keith Silk, 34, of Torrington Drive in Loughton; Jonathan Glover, 47, of Springfields in Waltham Abbey; Charlie Land, 23, of Warren Close in Hatfield) will face trial for violent disorder in June 2026. 

Chief Superintendent Scott Egerton said: “There is absolutely no justification for the violent disorder carried out by these four men. Their actions were inexcusable.

“Our officers were working hard to fulfil our lawful duty to enable both protest and counter protest to proceed safely. Instead, these individuals chose to be part of a group intent on turning a peaceful demonstration into dangerous and unacceptable violence.

“We fully support the right to protest, but it must be done peacefully.

“Assaulting officers, damaging property and vehicles or violence on our streets is unacceptable and we will deal with it robustly as this case shows.”

Samantha Woolley, Specialist Prosecutor says: “Violent disorder, assault and criminal damage to property are unlawful, even when they arise from lawful protest activity, which escalates into violence.

“We will work closely with the police to ensure effective prosecutions of those who are intent on choosing dangerous and disruptive behaviour over a peaceful demonstration.”