Essex pub that displayed golliwog dolls vandalised

Police are investigating criminal damage at an Essex pub that is itself the subject of an investigation over its display of golliwog dolls.

The White Hart Inn, Grays, sustained damage to five windows and graffiti shortly in the early hours of Sunday morning (16 April).

District commander Tony Atkin said: "We're conducting high visibility patrols in the area to provide community reassurance to our residents today and for the next few days following criminal damage to the White Hart Inn.

"This continuous police presence will allow the public direct access to officers and to share any information that they might have with the investigative team.

"Enquiries are taking place to establish what happened in the lead up to this incident and to identify those responsible, and includes viewing CCTV footage.

"One line of enquiry is that the criminal damage is linked to a previous incident that we are currently investigating, also linked to the White Hart Inn. We continue to investigate that incident and would ask the public to allow us to do so, remaining calm."

He added: "When any crime is reported to us, we will treat it as such and robustly investigate, without fear or favour."

The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has banned the venue from its Good Beer Guide and associated awards until the dolls, which are considered to be racist caricatures, are removed.

Essex Police confiscated several dolls from the pub on 4 April following an allegation of a hate crime.

The pub's landlady Benice Ryley, 62, told The Guardian she did not believe the dolls were racist.

Responding to critical comments on the pub's Facebook page, the White Hart wrote that the dolls were "part of my childhood".

"There is NO discrimination about anybody," the pub added.