BASILDON council is cracking down on people who fraudulently claim the 25 per cent single person council tax discount.

Each year local authorities receive many applications for Single Person Discount.

However, some of these applications are not genuine, the council says, and just like benefit cheats, these people are claiming reductions in their bills falsely.

Councillor Stuart Sullivan, cabinet member for resources, said: "People who take advantage of the system are taking advantage of genuine taxpayers and this can't go on."

During the council's review of the Single Person Discount, each case will be considered on its own merits. Sometimes errors may be due to someone moving out recently or if there is a carer resident.

In these cases, the records will be corrected on receipt of the information. Those who choose not to declare the change will be investigated and their discount revoked if necessary.

When the council tax charge is set, the council has to take into account the reduction in the amount due because of people claiming discounts or exemptions.

CHELMSFORD'S drive to match up to its new city status was boosted this week with the approval of a Waitrose supermarket and a host of other multi-million pound redevelopments.

The upmarket food store got the go-ahead for its plan to demolish the city's Royal Mail sorting office in Victoria Road for a supermarket with 240 parking spaces, 37 homes and an Islamic Community Centre to replace the one demolished in Regina Road.

In the same week, a £1.5 million revamp of Chelmsford train station was approved, while insurance firm Amlin also announced ambitious plans to sweep away an outdated office block in Victoria Road for its new headquarters with 700 staff.

Bellway homes has launched a two-day exhibition of its plans for the derelict Marconi factory in nearby New Street, which has been billed as the biggest city centre development since the estate off Navigation Road was built 85 years ago.

At the same time, plans to restore the 19th century Anne Knight building opposite the train station have emerged, while Essex County Council pledged to keep Shire Hall for public use at the Chelmsford Ideas Festival on Saturday. Residents are being asked to suggest their ideas for its future use.

City council leader Roy Whitehead said: "Things are moving forward quite remarkably and there will soon be new jobs at Amlin, Waitrose and, let's not forget, John Lewis, which got the go ahead last month.

"I am delighted that Bellway is not planning anything more than five or six storeys on the Marconi site, as opposed to the 18-storey towers in a previous plan by a different developer.

"All these places are key to the identity of our new city and I am delighted that things are now moving ahead quite rapidly."

A NEW community cafe has opened its doors and is inviting members of the public from around Chelmsford to pop in for a cup of coffee and slice of cake.

The Jubilee Cafe held in the United Reformed Church on North Avenue, launched last week and is looking forward to becoming a hub of the community.

One of the organisers Reverend Jane Mortimer, said: "The community cafe, which we have called the Jubilee Cafe, has been opened as the result of public demand.

"Along with local councillors and others working in the Boarded Barns community we circulated a questionnaire and held two drop-in sessions in North Avenue: United Reformed Church and one outside Kings Road school and every time one of the requests was for a community cafe.

"The cafe is being run by the two local churches, All Saints Anglican and North Ave: United Reformed Church in the North Avenue premises.

"To begin with we will be open from 1-4pm on a Tuesday afternoon and 9.15am to noon on a Thursday morning.

"We aim to keep the prices as low as we can for example a cup of tea is 40p, a slice of toast is 20p and soup and a roll is £1.

"Every one is welcome and we would like to extend the opening times eventually so if anyone is interested in volunteering please contact me on 01245 444931."

THERE can't be many ways to rent office space without paying a penny in cash, but for Romford-based cleaning company CA Support Services, the business-to-business trade exchange Bartercard has allowed them to do just that.

Bartercard is unlike a normal debit or credit card because it allows businesses to preserve cash resources by paying with goods or services.

Michael Pritchett, managing director of CA Support Services, said: "This means if a Bartercard member spends £100 in trade on having their office cleaned, CA Support Services will be able to spend this amount with other members of the trade exchange.

"We do a job as normal then the money we charge goes on a credit on the Bartercard, which we can then use to buy services.

"We use it to pay rent – so we haven't had to pay direct rent for about seven months.

"The main benefit is we don't have to use cash to pay rent. We can offset the work we get to pay for services."

As well as paying the rent for its own offices, the company, which has more than 23 years' experience, currently uses Bartercard to cover the cost of cleaning products and printing business cards and leaflets.

Mr Pritchett, added: "Bartercard was a brand-new concept to us before joining.

"We had never heard or used anything like it. It has definitely proved to be worthwhile.

"The current economic conditions mean it's even more vital that we take advantage of a service that allows us cover the cost of our rent without making a dent in our cash reserves.

"Ultimately, it really helps put money back into the CA Support Services Ltd and improve the business."

If you would like to find out more about Bartercard and how you can join the trade community, go to www.bartercard.co.uk

A FORMER trainee teacher who was responsible for looking after young Scouts has pleaded guilty to engaging in lewd and sexual conversations with young boys through social networking sites.

Christopher Pimm, who was a Scout leader with Blackmore 1st Scouts, was arrested at his home address in Kelvedon Hatch in November 2011 and subsequently charged in August 2012 with two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, three counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act and two counts of making indecent images and movies of children, all in 2011.

The victims, aged in their early teens, were three boys from Ilford, east London, Brentwood and Basildon.

The police investigation began in October 2011 following concerns about the level of contact he had with the victims through social networking sites.

The 24-year-old added the boys as friends on Facebook and then engaged in sexually-explicit conversations with them before sending them pornographic links.

During the police raid on his home in Great Fox Meadow officers seized his computer, which was found to hold a quantity of indecent images and movies of children.

The former sailing instructor appeared at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday, September 27 and pleaded guilty to all five offences. He is due to be sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Monday, October 29.

In a statement, the Scout Association said: "The Scout Association is aware of court proceedings involving Christopher Pimm.

"The Scout Association condemns the actions of Pimm.

"Pimm was suspended from any form of contact with the Movement as soon as we were informed by police. We can confirm that he will never again be allowed to work within the Scout Movement.

"The Scout Association has co-operated fully with the statutory agencies.

"The Scout Association carries out stringent vetting of all adults who work with young people and requires them to work to a strict code of practice outlined in the "Young People First" Code of Practice.

See www.scouts.org.uk/safeguarding

William Calcraft, the most notorious hangman of the 19th century, was born in Little Baddow. Charles Dickens, on witnessing many of Calcraft's public executions, remarked that Calcraft should refrain from drinking brandy and cracking jokes while on the scaffold. Calcraft often failed to calculate the right length of rope required for each job and sometimes had to pull on the legs of the victim to finish them off.

John Attwood, a 19th-century politician, was a former owner of Hylands House. He lost his Harwich seat in Parliament after it was discovered he had paid electors cash for their votes. One of his ploys was to offer free boat rides to voters of his opponents. The vessels would be 'accidentally' diverted out to sea and, with the wind and tide against them, they were not able to make it back until after the polling station had closed. Attwood spent most of his money on enlarging Hylands House, but after losing his seat and getting into debt, was forced to part with it.

Lord Chancellor Richard Rich was voted the worst Briton of the 16th century in a BBC poll. Rich, who lived at Leez Priory, near Felsted, was responsible for many acts of treachery and evil. Most infamously, he lied at the trial of Sir Thomas More, which resulted in More's execution.

In 1566, Agnes Waterhouse, of Hatfield Peverel, became the first person in England to be hanged following a trial for witchcraft. She stood trial at Chelmsford. It is said Agnes gave a friend a cake in return for a cat with supernatural powers which she used to bump off a neighbour.

Before becoming queen, Mary Tudor, better known as 'Bloody Mary', was 'imprisoned' at what is now New Hall School, once one of the Essex palaces of her father, Henry VIII. He sent her there while he attempted to end his marriage with her mother, Catherine of Aragon. The bitter Mary certainly took her wrath out on the people of Essex when she took to the throne. During her reign, some 300 Protestants were executed, 70 of whom hailed from Essex, more than any other county in England.

John Gates, a former owner of Beeleigh Abbey, near Maldon, was among the conspirators who attempted to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne. He paid the ultimate price for his decision to support the Protestant cause and was beheaded after being convicted of treason.

TWENTY five years ago Britain's most destructive storm in more than 280 years hit southern England claiming 18 lives and causing £1.5 billion of damage.

Not since the reign of Queen Anne in 1703 had nature's power been so utterly terrifying.

It was in the early hours of October 16, 1987 that 100mph winds swept across much of the UK battering ancient woodland and destroying houses.

Trees, some hundreds of years old, were snapped like matchsticks and toppled on to terrified homeowners as winds tore through neighbourhoods at the speed of an express train.

The Great Storm, as it became known, struck overnight on Friday October 15 and continued the following day, with gusts reaching record speeds.

The strong winds left a trail of devastation bringing the whole of Essex to a virtual standstill – and after no weather warning from forecasters.

Weatherman Michael Fish's famous line: "I am told there is a hurricane heading our way, but don't worry – it's not" have become legend.

Torrential rain and hurricane-force winds caused structural damage to buildings, electricity pylons and water supplies.

In total the storm left Brentwood District Council with a clear-up bill of £100,000. It received 3,000 calls for help during the weekend, several hundred from people suffering house structure damage.

Essex County Council was left with a staggering £8 million repair bill.

The storm also left many people with no power for water, and no electricity for cooking, heating or lighting – only those with gas had an alternative source.

More than 400 homes in Brentwood were still blacked out mid-week after power cables were pulled down. Between 200 and 300 homes were without power in Fryerning and Ingatestone.

Eastern Electricity described the scale as a "disaster situation".

Many people struggled to work as railways and roads were affected by fallen trees with the whole of the East Anglian network brought to a standstill.

Numerous fallen trees and power cables blocked lines in Essex, causing chaos as commuters were turned away at local stations on Friday morning.

The early bird newspaper train from London was forced to stop at Ingatestone at 3am having run into one fallen tree, with another pinned against its side.

Forestry workers from as far away as Leeds and Wellingborough were drafted in to help clear the destruction.

Areas of Brentwood were completely devastated. Holdens Wood at Warley Gap was flattened and for half a mile at The Avenue, workmen battled to fell 70 trees which threatened to collapse on the road.

Hutton Fire Brigade headquarters dealt with a record 5,000 emergency calls during the storms – a third of the average annual number.

Brentwood firefighters worked round the clock over the weekend answering a flood of calls throughout the town.

At Western Road they dragged two cars from under trees which had badly crushed both vehicles.

Power cables were made safe when they came down in North Drive, Hutton and Coxtie Green Road.

Partially toppled trees were felled in Worrin Road, Wingrave Crescent and Crown Street.

A GROUP of Essex divers have become the first people to reach the depths of four British mountain lakes in just two days.

The team of 13, which included walkers, first-aiders, drivers and divers, embarked on the two day mission in aid of Help for Heroes after they saw TV presenter and explorer Monty Halls complete a similar venture involving three British lakes.

Dave Chapman-Young, 50, an IT consultant from Chelmsford, said: "We saw Monty do that and we thought we could do one better. It was a real adventure."

With a target of 48 hours, the group completed the whole trip in 47 hours, 29 minutes, setting off with a 1558ft hike to lake Lough Atona in Northern Ireland on October 6.

And with a 50-60km hike in between each lake, with full dive gear carried only by the diver, the trip was not without its injuries.

"We had a couple of casualties," said Dave. "One of the guys badly hurt his knee on the first climb. When the ambulance came to get him we followed it to A&E and we had a rescue Land Rover with us."

But with the clock ticking away, the group could not waste any time waiting around in hospital.

The father-of-three added: "Two of the guys had to kidnap him from the hospital and it was blue lights and sirens in the rescue car all the way to the ferry - we had two-and-a-half minutes to spare before the ferry was leaving."

From Ireland, the members who all dive at the Orca Scuba Diving Academy in Basildon, went to Loch Coire An Lochan in Scotland, which sits at an altitude of 3268ft.

"Then, one of our guys went backwards wearing his 30kg back sack and dislocated his shoulder," said Dave. "It was extremely arduous."

The next trek involved a night dive in Cumbria, and the fourth was in Ffynnon Lloer, Wales at an altitude of 2133ft.

"The diving itself was hilarious," said Dave. "Some of the lakes were not more than five-feet deep so we barely had any water above us, and in Ireland we had a visibility of about two inches."

Of the group who took part in the adventure, only two divers managed to complete all four dives.

"Some of us prepared more than others," said Dave. "But it was a big shock to everybody really. Some more than others didn't realise what a mammoth challenge it was.

October 6.

"I think I surprised myself how fit I am for my age but I got through it purely by force of will."

While the trip required a significant amount of team work, it was not without its competitive edge.

Dave's main rival was Ian Sivyer, a major in the Territorial Army, and someone he was determined to keep up with.

"There was no way I was going to let him be the only one to finish all four," said Dave. "But I have told people if I ever suggest anything like this again, to shoot me."

A TERRIFIED couple from Brentwood are desperately trying to raise £7,000 to pay for a potentially live-saving trip to America for their little boy, who hasn't even turned two yet.

Last Boxing Day, the lives of the Harrington-Ellis family were turned upside, when their youngest son, Sky, was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Within two days he was having a tumour removed from his brain.

Just a few weeks before the festive season began, Paul and Marie Harrington-Ellis had become increasingly concerned about the behaviour of Sky, who is now 23 months old.

He was uncharacteristically being sick after food and his ability to move was deteriorating – up until then he had been a busy, playful and active baby.

Several trips to the doctor led to no meaningful diagnosis and the tot's problems continued, according to 34-year-old Marie, a former primary school teacher, who explained how Sky stopped walking whilst supporting himself, and crawling.

"He woke up one morning, he was in his pram with his head turned to one side and he just didn't look right," she said.

"And on Christmas Day he was just terrible, he had an absolutely awful day."

The following day the couple, who live near to Brentwood town centre, whisked their son off to Queen's Hospital refusing to accept there wasn't a problem.

"We'd had enough in the end of being told there was nothing wrong," Marie said.

"By then we were in distress, we knew something was wrong."

Paul, 40, added: "We saw the paediatrician registrar next and we realised then, very quickly, that something was badly wrong.

"By 8pm that evening we were in Great Ormond Street Hospital".

Little Sky, who was completely healthy when he was born in November 2010, had a tumour on his brain.

On December 28, during a gruelling nine-hour operation, the youngster survived the first of many life-threatening procedures, fluid was drained from within his skull and the tumour removed.

And, although even a benign brain tumour can be lethal, one dreadful week's wait for the Harrington-Ellis' came to an end with the worst possible news.

Their son had cancer: Grade 3 Anaplastic Ependymoma.

Marie breaks down as she remembers the horrific moment she was told.

"I said to them: 'Is it cancer?' and they said: 'Yes it is' and that's when I just starting crying."

She added: "I didn't really know anything about tumours. The doctor says there is a lesion on the brain and it just seemed like they were talking about someone else at the time, not my son.

"You just don't think it's possible – why would a child have cancer? Why would he get this?"

Since the diagnosis, Sky has had to endure 20 fortnightly chemotherapy sessions at GOSH between January and July and has undergone around 30 blood and platelet transfusions.

He has also had a Hickman Line fitted to allow chemotherapy to be administered straight into his body and a Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy tube for direct feeding.

Baby Sky has been quarantined in a Queen's Hospital room on eight occasions since chemo began, usually for five days at a time.

Paul explained how one of the toughest situations was explaining to their eldest son, Ocean, 5, what was happening to his little brother.

"We have to be strong, we have got Ocean to take care of as well," he said.

"I was at my mum and dad's house, and we started telling him and kids just ask the big questions, like 'when will he be home? 'Will he be alright?' and there is no answer to any of these things.

"Everything is just 'next stage' in what you are doing, it's the only way you can cope with things."

At Easter, Paul lost his father, Richard Harrison, 60, to cancer. He had been diagnosed just a few months earlier.

Until now, doctors have avoided using radiotherapy to treat Sky, but with part of the tumour too risky to remove and the chemotherapy failing, a decision has been forced.

Radiotherapy can cause long-term damage to young people, but it is hoped the more precise proton therapy, not yet available in the UK, will work.

Marie said: "It's the most awful thing when I put him to bed at night and it's quiet and dark, you really think about it, but if you think about it too much it is just unbearable.

"He is still here, he is still happy and we have not lost him yet. But If it keeps on coming back and coming back then the hospital could say there is nothing more we can do for you.

"If it does keep growing back then to be honest, it's not looking good."

Although the NHS will fund the treatment, the couple are hoping to raise £10,000 to cover the cost of staying in the States and paying their bills in Brentwood.

Sky will undergo six to eight weeks of proton treatment, in Jacksonville, Florida, and afterwards Paul and Marie are hoping, if they raise enough money, to take their son to Disney World for a treat.

He loves Mickey Mouse and has been unable to have any childhood fun because of his sickness and quarantined condition.

Friends are rallying around to organised a series of events, and so far the fundraising total stands at £4,440.

Paul said: "All the money that has been raised so far, it has been because of our friends and it just shows how much people care and that's the nicest thing to come out of this."

A TEENAGER who sexually abused a girl for 13 months has been spared jail despite twice breaching his sexual offences prevention order.

Daniel Frost, 18, of Wick Lane, Wickford, was convicted on five counts of sexual abuse of a child aged under 10 in the Maldon area in December 2010 and was told by the court that he had come "within a whisker of going inside for a considerable period".

The former Plume student was given a community rehabilitation order for three years and made subject to a sexual offences prevention order for five years, forbidding him from contacting children under 16 or being alone with a child under 16 without a parent or guardian present.

But Frost pleaded guilty to breaching the terms of the order at Chelmsford Crown Court after twice being alone with a boy and a girl around February this year.

On Thursday he was handed a six-month custodial sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £250.

"He should have been locked up at the time," the original victim's mother who cannot be named for legal reasons told the Gazette.

"My daughter still goes through regular psychotherapy and he's never even been to prison."

A STUDENT who bit another man's ear off in a nightclub has been spared jail.

Joseph Pryke, 21, of Millers Drive in Great Notley, was in the Candy Club in Chelmsford in April this year when he tore Jack Smith's earlobe off with his teeth.

Pryke, who had tried to calm down an earlier situation at the club, said that he was trying to get two men to shake hands, when Mr Smith came over to see what was happening.

As Mr Smith leant over to hear what was going on, Pryke, who claimed he only meant to "nip" Mr Smith's ear "in warning" to stay away, bit down on his earlobe and ripped it off, leaving blood pouring down his victim's neck.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, Pryke pleaded guilty to maliciously wounding Mr Smith with intent.

He originally denied the attack on April 18 this year but said that he panicked about what he had done and later went to the police station to confess.

"I spat out the earlobe in horror. It made me wretch," said Pryke.

Prosecutor Carolyn Gardiner told the court that the injury had left Jack Smith worried that for the rest of his life people would think there was something wrong with him.

She added that he has not been on a night out since.

Mitigating, John Caudle said of Pryke: "He doesn't know the victim and he is horrified at what he has done.

"Initially he was the peacemaker but unfortunately it all went horribly wrong. He thought, 'if I hit the man I will be assaulting him so I will nip his ear with my teeth to get him away,' but unfortunately he bit far too hard.

"He had no intention of biting it off. It's totally out of character."

Judge Christopher Ball QC agreed the incident was not like Pryke and took into account that he had confessed what he did to police.

Pryke, a marketing student at Southampton Solent University, was given a two-year community order with 160 hours of unpaid work.

He was also given an electronically tagged curfew between 10pm and 5am for four months, and was banned from going into any licensed premise for six months.

"It will be pretty tough for a student," added Judge Ball.

A SAUSAGE-MAKER in Maldon is hoping his bangers will be crowned Britain's best at a national competition this month.

Wesley Sims, who runs Meatline on West Station Yard, will be taking his Welsh Dragon to the Sausage of the Year finals, in London, where they will be judged by comedian and pub landlord Al Murray.

"We won the best of British sausage competition in Maldon earlier in the year, and now our sausages are in the national final," said Mr Sims, 34-year-old director of Meatline.

"We're entering our Welsh Dragon variety, which is a firm yet fluffy pork and leek sausage with a delicate after-touch of chilli.

"It's 100 per cent pork and made on our premises. It's definitely a popular choice with lots of our customers."

The company was started 25 years ago and supplies a number of hotels, pubs and restaurants with their locally-sourced produce.

Mr Sims added: "We're really looking forward to the competition – being in the final is quite an achievement.

"Being in the local Maldon competition, held by the East Essex Smallholders Group, enabled Meatline to open up supply lines with people growing and producing locally.

"True field-to-fork traceability.

"We have had a pure bred rare breed Large Black, from Jenkins Farm in Stisted, reared in the vegetable garden and orchard of Nick Elcombe, a barrister who works in London.

"We will be producing some rare breed sausages next week."

And, with a deli in Maldon selling their speciality sausages, the company is planning to expand even further.

"We have a retail shop in Maldon supplying the public with catering-grade produce at trade prices," added Mr Sims.

"But we will be offering a home delivery service in the Chelmsford area from October 27.

"This means more people can take advantage of our high quality produce at below supermarket prices."

The competition will be held on October 26, at Butchers Hall, London.

For more information about Meatline, visit www.meatline.co.uk or call 07966 466 886.

DOUBLE murderer David Oakes has urged leading British judges to overturn his "whole-life" sentence.

The former bouncer was told he would never be released after shooting dead his ex-partner, Christine Chambers, 37, and daughter Shania, 2½, at their home in Braintree last June.

The 50-year-old, of Canney Road, Steeple, is challenging his sentence, along with killer Danilo Restivo and the "Bermondsey Beast" rapist Michael Roberts – who are both subject to "whole-life orders" and, therefore, can never apply for parole. Christine's sister Jeannette said that her family were against Oakes ever being released.

She posted on Facebook: "Some people say they should be let out when they're old. Not me or my family. He should rot in hell."

Oakes, Stapleton, and Roberts all watched Wednesday's proceedings – before the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, and four other judges – via video link from their respective prisons.

Oakes announced at the start of the hearing that he wished to "appeal against my conviction".

The judges reserved judgement in all cases to a date to be fixed. The Chronicle exclusively revealed Oakes' intention to challenge his "whole-life" order in May.

A JEALOUS husband who stabbed his wife ten times with a seven-inch vegetable knife for speaking to another man in a nightclub, has been jailed for nearly four years.

Martyn Bloomfield, 56, a fishmonger at Chelmsford Market, admitted knifing Kathy, the mother of his two children, in the buttocks and back after returning from a drunken night out in the city.

Kathy, a successful business-woman who runs the Axis Studio hair salon, in Wells Street, was out with her husband and a friend on June 22, enjoying a few drinks, Chelmsford Crown Court heard last Wednesday.

But things turned sour when Bloomfield saw Kathy talking to another man, who high-fived her and then leant in to kiss her, the court heard.

He asked her: "Did he kiss you? I will f****** kill him if he tried to kiss you."

Kathy said that he had not and they left the bar at 1am, to move on elsewhere for more drinks.

But Bloomfield went home well before Kathy, who returned to the couple's former family home, in Dukes Lane, Chelmer Village, at 4am.

Recalling the events, prosecutor Richard Stevens said that as soon as Kathy got in, Bloomfield was "raging at her".

"There was almost straight away a fight, however, how that started is unknown, but for all one knows it might have been a push and she was very soon on the floor of the hall.

"Bloomfield was kicking and punching her to such an extent she curled herself up into a ball.

"He then stepped briefly out into the kitchen and equipped himself with a knife and returned pretty quickly.

"He got down to a position beside his partner and then started hitting her.

"She was not aware that he was using a knife and said she just felt a sharp pain.

"Bloomfield suddenly got to his feet and said 'Oh my God, what have I done?'

"It was only at that stage that she realised that he had a knife with him."

Kathy asked him to phone an ambulance, but he began to phone cab firms instead, the court heard.

Bloomfield, who bought Kathy her salon to celebrate the birth of their first child, then took the decision to drive her to Broomfield Hospital, despite being over the limit.

After leaving her at the hospital, he was stopped by police and arrested when he refused to take a breathalyser test.

The couple were in a relationship for 12 years, and have two children, who are ten and five-years-old.

The court also heard there had been difficulties in the past, including brief separations and some violence.

Kathy also admitted to the doctors that she was under the influence of alcohol and cocaine that night, the court heard.

Defending, Ian James said how all parties in the case stressed that Bloomfield is a good father, and Kathy, at one stage, did not want to co-operate with the police, because of the disruption it would cause to their family life.

Mr James added: "He had gone from being a successful businessman to someone whose business was not doing so well.

"Kathy is an independent lady who runs her own business, and has assumed the role of major breadwinner in the relationship and he has had to take more of a back seat.

"As the years developed, he found himself taking more responsibility for the children."

The court heard Kathy has expressed her wish to separate from Bloomfield and not stay in the same house when he leaves prison. She has already moved out of the family home.

She was sobbing in the courtroom when he was sentenced by Judge Christopher Ball QC, who said that Bloomfield must serve half his sentence before being let out on parole.

Judge Ball QC added: "You were responsible for a serious and violent attack against your partner.

"I got from the evidence that your relationship was going through rocky times, and rightly or wrongly, you had it in mind that your partner was not being entirely straight with you and had found occasions in the past to support your thoughts that she might be unfaithful.

"It seems to be the period of custody that you must serve will take you from the family that you have been supporting, and the children as well."

After the court case, Kathy told the Chronicle: "I am not happy with the judge's decision but I do not want to comment any further."

THE family of an Albanian man who died after being punched in the head have deplored the fact his killer pleaded not guilty to murder.

Urim Rama, 26, an Albanian national who moved to England 15 years ago, was on a night out with friends in Chelmsford when he tried to stop a fight in Duke Street on August 19 at around 3am.

Annoyed at Mr Rama's peace-making efforts, Jamie Waters, 29, of Canvey Island, approached Mr Rama and punched him in the head.

As a result of that one blow, Mr Rama was knocked unconscious and fell to the floor and hit his head on the pavement, which caused a severe trauma to the brain that killed him.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday, Waters pleaded not guilty to murder but did plead guilty to manslaughter.

Mr Rama's mother, Bukurije Rama, 57, flew in from Albania for Waters' hearing and was shocked that he had the murder charge against him dropped because of his guilty plea to manslaughter.

"We still can't believe it. It is not a good result for us because he didn't plead guilty in the right way.

"What happened wasn't Urim's fault – he was helping others. He was a brother to everyone."

Waters will be sentenced in November.

THE Blues bounced back in style on Saturday with a comprehensive win over second placed Dorchester.

The result gave manager Craig Edwards with a lift after his side were dumped out of the FA Cup four days earlier losing 4-2 at home to Cambridge City in a third qualifying round replay.

"It was a much better team performance and we fully deserved the win," said Edwards. "We had sorted a few things out in training on Thursday night which was needed after that terrible defeat in the cup replay.

"I made a few changes which I felt were needed and it all paid off and shows what we are capable of doing at this level."

Among the new faces on parade was striker Charlie Taylor who has been at both Dulwich Hamlet and Grays Athletic with Edwards and more recently at Sutton United.

He made the starting line-up and played for an hour before being replaced by another new striker – Joe Benjamin – who has played for several clubs including Chelmsford City.

Alex Bonnard was given his first start for the Blues in goal while midfielders Dave Collis and Craig Edwards junior came into the team and they certainly gave Town more strength and control in that department.

The Blues, who had lost their last two league matches, needed a convincing win to help move them up the table and they did it with a certain amount of style against a physically strong Dorset side.

"I felt we played much better throughout the game, kept control and created goal scoring chances and I felt the result was a fair reflection of the game," added Edwards.

"We were stronger in midfield while up front we always looked likely to score when we put their defence under pressure."

The Blues set their stall out right from the kick-off taking the game to their visitors whose keeper, Jason Matthews, did well to save with his legs to deny Alex Osborn's shot.

The visitors though responded and Bonnard saved well from Sam Molson before the home side took the lead on 19 minutes.

It came from a quick counter attack on the Billericay left which ended with Sam Lechmere delivering a cross to Taylor to score from close range.

This was just the tonic the Blues needed and this early goal gave the side a confidence boost as they went in search of a second goal.

With the visitors' defence looking shaky they let in Lechmere who shot just past the far post before Glenn Poole went close when he fired a great shot goalwards only for Matthews to push the ball over the bar.

The Blues continued their dominance of the half, but failed to add to their goal tally.

The second half started in a similar vein for Billericay with Lechmere, Chris Wild and Taylor all going close before Lechmere doubled the lead when he was played in by Taylor to finish with a low shot on 61 minutes.

Scoring that all important second goal gave Billericay some welcomed breathing space.

Continuing to push forward the Blues quickly added a third goal on 66 minutes which put the outcome of the game beyond doubt.

It was a superb goal too and busy Lechmere was again involved, breaking down the left wing before pulling the ball back to Poole who produced a real classy finish to beat Matthews from 15 yards.

From then onwards it was all about the Blues continuing to go forward looking for more goals and but for some wayward finishing and last gasp defending they would have done.

The visitors managed to grab a consolation goal in the 90th minute when Ben Watson scored but it was a case of too little too late and the Blues ran out deserved winners.

WITHAM carnival needs your help to save it from folding.

For nearly a century Witham carnival has entertained and enthralled the generations of the ancient market town.

With queens and princesses recruited from its local communities, the youngsters of Witham, their parents and grandparents have long delighted in the annual event that harks back to the 1920s.

However, with an ever-dwindling number of committee members and with an aging force of volunteers, the carnival has encountered such severe problems that it may have to come to an end.

Rob Williams, who has recently had to stand down as chairman of the carnival committee but is still a member, said: "If we don't get the procession manager and marshals, there will not be a carnival – that's where we're at unfortunately."

At present the committee has 14 members, of which only 10 are able to actively partake in the carnival, which donates hundreds of pounds to local charities every year.

"The group that's looking after this are a little bit older and for the last carnival everyone was stretched and people were saying that they can't do the same again this year," said Rob.

"Ideally we need people who can spare some time to join the committee, who can do jobs on the day and who have got some new ideas."

Without these volunteers it will be the end of a long-running tradition in the town.

"The carnival means an awful lot to Witham," said Rob.

"There has been a carnival running since the 1920s and on carnival day there's a good four or five thousand people turning up to see what's going on.

"To take that away – it's one of the few free things to do in Witham – it would be a great shame."

As a member of the committee, it would be necessary to attend the group's monthly meeting and spend the majority of carnival day, which is the second Saturday of July, helping out.

The committee's next monthly meeting will be held on November 22 at Monni's in Newland Street at 8pm.

For more information, contact Rob Williams on 01376 510845.