Waltham Abbey: Police Investigate 'Unexplained' Death

8 March 2014, 10:21 | Updated: 8 March 2014, 10:33

Essex Police are treating the death of a man in Waltham Abbey as unexplained.

35-year-old Stephen Pope was found on Mason Way at around 1pm on Thursday (6 March).

A Post Mortem examination was held yesterday and the preliminary cause of death has been given as suffocation.

Mr Pope was found with his neck trapped between a fence panel and a concrete gravel board.

Detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances of his death which is currently being treated as unexplained.

At the same time that the 35-year-old was found there was a report of a burglary nearby.

Two men, aged 27 and 51 were arrested on suspicion of burglary. The 51-year-old has been released on police bail pending further enquiries. 

Unemployed Albert Brinkley, aged 27, of no given address, has been charged with burglary and has been remanded in custody to appear before Chelmsford Magistrates Court today.

Detectives are still appealing for help from the public in piecing together the sequence of events that lead to Mr Pope's death and anyone with information is asked to call the Serious Crime Directorate via Essex Police on 101.