Following the sentencing of ten individuals involved in violent disorder on the seafront at Southend-on-Sea in Essex in July 2024, the area’s local rail operator, c2c, expressed delight at their conviction.

At Basildon Crown Court, the individuals, who were teenagers at the time of the disorder, received custodial sentences of more than 34 years between them.

During the incident, groups of young people gathered in the streets of Southend-on-Sea before violence broke out.

That prompted a swift and coordinated response from Essex Police, supported by a partnership with the railway through coordinated efforts between c2c, train operator Greater Anglia, and the British Transport Police (BTP).

The incident led to several individuals being seriously injured, and a subsequent major investigation involving extensive CCTV analysis, with c2c working closely with Essex Police and the British Transport Police during and after the investigation, brought the perpetrators to justice.

As a community railway, c2c works to reduce violence in its local areas. It works in close collaboration with British Transport Police and Essex Police to assist them with their investigations and always seeks to prosecute violent crime.

The company was recently recognised for its continued commitment to safeguarding when it scored 92% in a recent Safeguarding on Rail Scheme re-accreditation.

On Sunday, 20th July, train services operated by c2c became the sixth company to be transferred to public ownership. On Saturday, 13th September, the company is sponsoring an Ultra Marathon in aid of the Gold Geese childhood cancer support charity based in Southend-on-Sea.

“I am extremely pleased to see that those responsible for these awful crimes have been subject to robust sentences. We will continue working collaboratively with the police especially as we move through this summer, with customer safety across the network of the utmost importance. Our plans for continued collaboration with BTP and Essex Police, under Operation Imperial and Operation Union, respectively, have been reviewed to ensure we do as much as possible to prevent any incidents occurring and respond to those that do.”

Iain Palmer, Head of Revenue Protection and Security at c2c