Sherborne Police

19/10/2026

Weekly Update - Friday October 16th 2026

- Earlier this year we posted that Sherborne NPT Officers had tracked down and arrested a person on suspicion of committing s*xual offences against children. Now the investigation is concluded we can confirm this was Clare Townsend. She was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on Monday 12 October 2026 to three years and nine months in prison and made the subject of a s*xual harm prevention order (SHPO) for ten years. Townsend was also given a five-year restraining order and placed on the s*x offenders register indefinitely.

- Work continues on the Corelli Estate to tackle increasing anti-social behaviour associated with the use of off-road motorbikes, e-bikes and e-scooters. Yesterday evening another bike was seized after it was sighted by an Officer on patrol. Thank you to all those who call in and keep us updated of where and when these incidents occur. Please do get in touch with any information that might assist us.

- A community contact point was held in Sherborne outside the Co-op, Westbridge Park providing local residents with an opportunity to speak directly with the Neighbourhood Policing Team and raise any concerns affecting them or the wider community. The next event will be on 05th November between 11:00 and 14:00.

- Safeguarding work continues following reports of rogue traders targeting elderly and potentially vulnerable residents. We are working collaboratively with Trading Standards, banks and government-approved traders to help protect residents and disrupt those responsible.

- Intelligence-led foot patrols continue across Sherborne town centre and identified hotspot locations, focusing resources on areas where concerns and incidents have been reported.

- On a lighter note the team managed to reunite a frightened dog that bolted after a fright with her relieved owner. Both owner and dog were ecstatic to see each other.

14/10/2026

24/09/2026

🚔 Stay Informed, Stay Safe! 📰

The September edition of the West Dorset NPT Newsletter is here, packed with updates on what your local neighbourhood policing teams have been up to recently. From community initiatives to crime prevention tips, we've got all the info you need to stay connected and secure.

Click the link below to read the newsletter and see how we're working to keep our community safe together!

https://sway.cloud.microsoft/IjPDMnCc4mcgHrGx?ref=Link

Welcome to the West Dorset Neighbourhood Policing Newsletter

11/09/2026

🚨 Witness Appeal Following Criminal Damage in Sherborne 🚨

Sherborne Neighbourhood Policing Team is appealing for information following an incident of criminal damage in Simons Road, Sherborne.

At approximately 11:40pm on Friday 4 September, residents were awoken after an unknown suspect used a claw hammer to smash the front living room window of their home.

The suspect then caused substantial damage to a vehicle parked on the driveway by striking the windscreen before leaving the scene.

Officers are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may have captured relevant footage. Residents in the Simons Road area may have CCTV, Ring doorbell, or dashcam footage showing the incident or any vehicles travelling through the area around the time it occurred.

If you have any information that may assist our investigation, please contact Dorset Police quoting incident number 55260139018.

💻 Report online: https://orlo.uk/j6qZh

📞 Call: 101

Any information, no matter how small it may seem, could assist our enquiries.

07/09/2026

CHARGED | A man has been charged and is due to appear in court in connection with a reported arson at Sherborne Police Station.

It was reported that at around 3.30am on Sunday 26 April 2026 a small fire ignited outside the boiler room at the police station.

The fire did not spread to the station building and no injuries were sustained.

Following enquiries, a 36-year-old man was arrested and he has now been charged with arson. He is due to appear at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Friday 30 October 2026.

03/09/2026

Myself and a colleague attended Sherborne Westbridge Park Co Op this morning with our Mobile Police Station.
We had many people stop and say hello along with members of the public stop and ask some questions some of which we were able to answer, others we signposted to partner agencies.
We also had the pleasure in meeting Fifi the local cat who was very friendly.
After a while I went for a short walk around the area and came across The Westend coffee morning which I popped into.
It was very well attended and I had a chat with lots of people asking if they had any concerns or issues they wanted to raise.
#5410 #6121

26/08/2026

This morning, PCSO Jones was out supporting the Holwell Community Speedwatch group.

Community Speedwatch gives local volunteers the opportunity to work with police to monitor vehicle speeds and help make our roads safer. The initiative focuses on educating drivers and encouraging them to slow down, helping to reduce the risks associated with speeding.

The aims of Community Speedwatch are to:

* Reduce road deaths and injuries
* Improve quality of life for local residents
* Encourage compliance with speed limits
* Raise awareness of the dangers of speeding

Dorset Road Safe currently supports over 80 Community Speedwatch teams across the county, with training and support available for volunteers.

Interested in getting involved or suggesting a new location? Visit Dorset Road Safe here: https://orlo.uk/hj48x

24/08/2026

👮‍♂️ Meet Your Local Team 👋

I'm PC Timothy Watford (0304) 👮‍♂️ I’ve been serving in policing for 23 years, with 18½ years spent in London before joining Dorset Police. I’ve now been working in this neighbourhood for around a year and a half.

I decided to join policing because I wanted something more meaningful than city work. I enjoy interacting with people and felt strongly about helping to make my local area a safer place for residents and visitors alike. Before joining Dorset Police, I spent many years with the Metropolitan Police, working across a wide range of roles including training, response, and town centre policing.

What I enjoy most about neighbourhood policing is being an integral part of the community and knowing that what I do can genuinely make a difference. I particularly like tackling issues that matter to local people, such as anti-social behaviour and shoplifting 🏘️. When you see me out on patrol, I hope you’ll feel confident to approach me and have a chat. And if you ever feel nervous about speaking to a police officer, honestly, don’t be 🙂. The best way to raise a concern or ask a question is in person, so please do stop me if you see me.

One of my favourite things about this area is its history, it’s a privilege to work somewhere with such strong roots and identity.

A few things about me:
☕ Tea or coffee? Tea
👨‍👩‍👧 Off duty I enjoy spending time with my family

I look forward to continuing to work with you all and helping to keep our community safe 🤝💙

As part of the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee uplift, new officers have joined teams across Dorset. We thought it would be a great opportunity to reintroduce the officers working in your community and help you get to know your local policing team. You will see further posts over the last couple of weeks introducing the team.

# Dorset

19/08/2026

Burglary in Trent.

Sometime between 8pm on Tuesday the 18th and 5.30am on Wednesday the 19th of August, a van was stolen from the driveway of a home in the village of Trent.

It is believed that the thief entered the address and removed the keys to a white Renault Trafic van before stealing it.

If you have any information regarding this crime or if you have any relevant dashcam/ring doorbell footage, please contact Dorset Police quoting reference number 55260128954.

You can contact Dorset Police via our Do it Online contact page here: https://orlo.uk/38hD9