The Jaw-Dropping List of Everything Asylum Seekers in Thetford Were Reportedly Given for Free After Being Moved Into Local Homes

A list of household items believed to have been given free to asylum seekers living in Thetford has caused anger among some local residents. The items reportedly include duvets, pillows, pillowcases, hand towels, face towels, dinner plates, cereal bowls, knives, forks, spoons, a frying pan, a saucepan, a tea towel and toilet rolls.

The Norfolk town experienced three nights of protests and disorder after reports spread that asylum seekers were being moved into houses on a local estate.

On Tuesday night, a crowd gathered outside a property on St John’s Way. Police later escorted people believed to be asylum seekers away from the house for their safety.

When reporters visited the property on Friday, they found a wheelie bin near the front door filled with empty cardboard boxes. A neighbour said the boxes had contained household supplies given to the people staying there.

One box carried the name Thomas Kneale & Co., a Manchester-based company that supplies kitchen, bedroom and bathroom items.

A 65-year-old man who lives next door said he believed the supplies were intended for the asylum seekers. He said many residents were angry and felt the situation had been handled unfairly. The Home Office was contacted for a response.

The unrest continued for three nights. Police said people tried to enter homes believed to be connected to asylum seekers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

During the trouble on St John’s Way, windows were reportedly smashed, fences were damaged and some people attempted to force their way into the house. Reporters later saw broken glass, footprints on a rear window and a back door that had been pulled from its hinges.

Norfolk Police Chief Constable Paul Sanford confirmed that some asylum seekers had to be taken away from properties because officers were concerned for their safety.

The estate was calm again by Friday morning, although at least four people had been arrested in connection with the disorder.

Many residents said their anger was mainly directed at the Government and Breckland Council. They claimed local people were not consulted or warned that asylum seekers could be placed in houses on the estate.

Tony, 75, said he was disappointed that people had reportedly been moved into the area without residents being informed. He said around 20 police officers and several police vehicles were on his road during Tuesday night’s disturbance.

Another resident, Michael, 82, condemned the violence but said he was also concerned about people being moved into the neighbourhood without clear information being given to those already living there.

Joyce Gallagher, 52, said she heard people shouting outside the house but only discovered later that asylum seekers were reportedly being moved in. She said she was concerned about illegal small-boat crossings and the safety of women and children. However, she made it clear that she would not cause trouble for anyone who did not cause trouble for her.

The mother of four also questioned why asylum seekers were being placed in houses while some local families wait years for council accommodation.

In nearby Bracken Road, 73-year-old Loraine Dean said police woke her early on Wednesday morning and asked if she had doorbell-camera footage. A crowd had targeted the house next door because some people believed asylum seekers from St John’s Way had been moved there. However, the property was empty.

When reporters visited on Friday, its front door and windows had been boarded up.

Ms Dean said she was angry because the authorities had not explained what was happening. She claimed residents only learned from contractors that the property was being used as a house in multiple occupation. She said she believed an ordinary family could have lived in the home.

Police warned that anyone involved in violence, intimidation or criminal damage would face the full force of the law.

Brian Thompson, 68, of Fairfields in Thetford, was charged with possessing an offensive weapon after allegedly carrying a wooden bat. He was released on bail and is expected to appear at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on August 25.

A man in his 30s who was arrested over Tuesday’s events on suspicion of a public-order offence was later released and given a conditional caution.

Two more men were arrested on Thursday. One was suspected of encouraging racial hatred connected to Wednesday’s events. The other was arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and refusing to give his details to police.

A woman in her 30s was also arrested on August 7 after a female police officer was reportedly bitten during Wednesday’s disorder. She was held on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker, common assault and a public-order offence.

Two police officers were taken to hospital after responding to the unrest on Wednesday.

Thetford Town Council said people have the right to express their opinions peacefully and within the law. However, it strongly condemned violence, intimidation and damage to property.

The council said everyone who lives, works or visits Thetford should feel safe. It added that concerns about asylum and immigration should be raised peacefully with the proper authorities, rather than through threats or attacks directed at individuals.

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