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Nationalist vigilante ‘street patrol’ groups with ties to Reform UK and the far right are falsely claiming to be working with the police, while seeking to infiltrate local school networks in order to “protect” women and children, Byline Times can reveal.
Earlier this year we revealed how one such group, the Essex Spartans had been seeking to recruit “boots on the ground” for its “volunteer service protecting vulnerable residents, particularly women, children, and the elderly”.
The group is based in Epping, near the scene of this year’s far right protests over the hosting of asylum seekers at the Bell Hotel. They claim to be a local grassroots organisation, but in reality have ties to senior far-right figures across the UK, with its founder having a history of extreme racist and Islamophobic views, including expressing a desire to “start my own rebellion” in order to “kick all” Muslim people out of the country.
The group’s social media profiles carry pictures of its uniformed members touring the streets in stab proof vests, and in one case carrying handcuffs, in order to “protect” local women and children, in claimed “partnership” with the police.
However, the local council and local police deny any involvement with the group.
Since our earlier reporting on the group, a number of other connected groups have sprung up both in Essex and elsewhere in the country, claiming to be “collaborating” with the Essex Spartans.
Offering what can be defined as “concierge nationalism” these groups advertise walk-you-home escorts, street patrols, SOS apps and premium mentorship through QR codes and subscription models.
However, in recent months their activity has escalated into an attempt to infiltrate local school networks, prompting serious safeguarding concerns.
Enemies at the Gates
Documents seen by Byline Times show that the Essex Spartans contacted at least one educational trust responsible for several schools in Epping Forest. They introduced themselves as a new “Community Interest Group” claiming to work with police to make local streets safer.
The services they offered included patrols around schools at drop-off and collection times, meetings with school leaders, and information letters for parents. They described members as being DBS checked, uniformed, carrying ID badges, and using a QR code system linking calls directly to police. The trust declined the offer.
The group’s founder Jack Golding has claimed to be working “in partnership with Essex police”.
However, the police have denied any connection to the group. Chief Superintendent Leighton Hammett of Essex Police told Byline Times: “While we are aware of this group, we are not affiliated with them, we do not endorse or promote their activity, and we do not work with them.
This directly contradicts the group’s claims.
Councillor Joel Charles, Harlow Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, told local news site Your Harlow: “It is not normal practice for an organisation, not known to the council, to start patrolling the town. Members of the council’s community safety team already carry out a significant amount of community engagement work and join patrols with police officers in known crime hotspot areas.
“Volunteers representing Essex Spartans have recently been approaching vulnerable people in the town. Anyone feeling unsafe, in a state of distress or facing the prospect of being homeless can access advice and support from official sources.”
An Extremist History
Essex Spartans claim their members are DBS checked. However, the only evidence offered is a Facebook montage of certificates that lack official seals and reference numbers. The group also admits that not all members hold Security Industry Authority (SIA) licences, saying only licensed members may carry handcuffs. UK law requires frontline private security roles, including security guards and door supervisors, to hold a valid SIA licence. Working in these licensable activities without one would be a criminal offence.
The lack of transparency is particularly concerning given the past rhetoric of their founder Jack Golding. Byline Times has seen evidence from his social media history where Golding posted racist comments about Muslims and Black people, and made mysogynistic comments, including writing “Took my girlfriend out last night… Yeah, one punch.”
When challenged further about domestic violence, he wrote: ‘…better when you do it some where [sic] no one will see it x’”.
In a post from 2011, he wrote about his plans to “start my own rebellion” in order to kick out Muslims from the country.
““This countrys gettin a fuckin joke why did the let all the dirty muslims in the fucking country kick all the lil pricks out now befor everything gets bombed I think i’m gunna start my own rebellion againt all off them and kick them out myself” he wrote.
In another post from the same year he states: “just bought a wardrobe from IKEA, the pakistani assistant was bringing it to my car when somebody ran her over. Now that’s what i call fucking flat pak.” [sic]
This history of racist and misogynistic rhetoric directly undermines the group’s current claims to be “protecting women and girls.”
Safeguarding Alarm
Educators and unions warn that the Spartans’ presence risks undermining statutory safeguarding. Luke Burrows, Assistant Head Teacher at Bridge Academy Educational Trust in Chelmsford, told Byline Times: “We are well aware of this group, and it is concerning that they are framing themselves as working with schools and the police…
“Statutory guidance states that safeguarding must only be carried out by trained, vetted professionals operating within recognised frameworks.”
Murray Sackwild, Essex Branch Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “While Essex Spartans present themselves as ‘concerned citizens, their vigilante activity, not supported by police, raises serious safeguarding and Prevent concerns. Large groups in paramilitary-style uniforms and rhetoric about ‘protecting women and girls’ echo far-right narratives… This is a dangerous path that risks influencing young people and undermining community safety.”
