CASES heard by Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates from Saturday, March 8 to Wednesday, March 13.

Assault

MICHAEL FREDERICK KEARNS, 45, of Roland Close, Broomfield, was given a community order for assaulting Sarah Page by beating her at Chelmsford on September 28.

He must carry out 150 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay £50 compensation, a £60 victim surcharge and £600 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

AARON NIGEL O'CONNOR, 26, of Grove Field, High Garrett, Braintree, was given a community order for assaulting Lionel O'Connor by beating him at Braintree on February 20. The defendant must attend appointments with a responsible officer, carry out 40 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a victim surcharge of £60 and £85 costs to the CPS.

JODIE ANNE LISNEY, 18, of High Street, Braintree, was given a community order for assaulting Steve Miles, Benjamin West and Ahmad Zadi by beating them at Braintree on February 21, and of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards another person likely to provoke violence being used.

She must attend appointments with a responsible officer as directed for nine months and was ordered to pay £50 compensation to Mr West.

ANTHONY OWEN MASON, 28, of Forest Drive, Chelmsford, was fined £37 for assaulting Courtney Griffin by beating her at Chelmsford on February 21.

He was also fined £73 and ordered to pay £200 compensation after causing £200 of damage to a vehicle belonging to Reece Jones. He must also pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

IAN ELLIS, 27, of Baddow Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting Bradley Beavis by beating him, together with another person at Chelmsford on February 23. He was placed under a curfew for two months and ordered to pay £350 compensation, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

JORDAN RYAN OLIVER, 19, of Hamlet Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting a Police Constable in the execution of his duty at Chelmsford on February 9, and for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

He must attend Essex Senior Attendance Centre for 18 hours, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £50 costs to the CPS.

COLLIN ROY THOMAS, 66, of Coburg Place, South Woodham Ferrers, was given a year’s conditional discharge after pleading guilty to assaulting Anthony Caskey by beating him at South Woodham Ferrers on February 21.

He must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

FREDDIE FELLOWS, 20, of Thirlmere Close, Braintree, was given a conditional discharge for 18 months for assaulting Kerry Fellows and Brian Robinson by beating them at Loughton on November 28.

He was given a restraining order prohibiting him from going to Chester Road in Loughton. He had also caused £150 of damage to a wardrobe belonging to Kerry and stole a packet of cigarettes valued at £20.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to destroying a shed valued at £400 belonging to Kerry on January 15 this year. He must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Breach of order

CHARLIE JEACOCK, 18, of Battle Rise, Heybridge, must carry out an additional 30 hours of unpaid, supervised work in addition to the requirements of a community order made on June 10 for failing to attend two appointments in February. He must also pay £50 costs.

IRENE ELIZABETH PARRISH, 36, of Bellscroft Avenue, Braintree, was given an extra five months to comply with the requirements of a community order made on August 30 after failing to attend two appointments in February. She must also attend appointments with a responsible officer.

ADRIAN PROBALA, 18, of Cheviot Drive, Chelmsford, must carry out an additional 20 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months after failing to attend two appointments in February as required by a youth rehabilitation order made on October 8. He must also pay £50 costs.

Criminal damage

JONATHAN TITE, 21, of David Blackwell House, Bocking End, was given a community order for damaging a plastic security window to the value of £1,000 belonging to Arriva Buses at Harlow on February 18.

He must pay £200 compensation and a further £100 compensation for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards Thomas Durning likely to provoke unlawful violence being used.

The defendant must attend appointments with a responsible officer and attend Medium Alcohol Intervention, carry out 120 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months. He must also pay a £60 victim surcharge and £40 costs to the CPS.

JACK HUMPHRIES, 23, of Hopkins Mead, Chelmsford, was fined £110 for causing £330.60 of damage to a door of a Honda Civic belonging to Michael Polly at Chelmsford on December 12. He was ordered to pay £303.60 compensation, a £20 victim surcharge and £50 costs to the CPS.

Drugs - possession

MARCUS DAVID STAINES, 33, of Gloucester Avenue, Maldon, was fined £700 for possessing 1.2g of cocaine, a controlled class A drug, at Maldon on February 21. He must pay a £70 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS and forfeit the drugs and have them destroyed.

He was also given four penalty points on his licence for riding a motorcycle along Fambridge Road at Maldon on February 21 without due care and attention.

MATTHEW SAUNDERS, 18, of Ruskin Road, Chelmsford, was given a 12 month conditional discharge for possessing a quantity of cannabis, a controlled class B drug, at Chelmsford on February 22. He must pay a £15 victim surcharge, £85 costs to the CPS and forfeit the drugs and have them destroyed.

MOHAMMED RASHEL, 28, of Chelmsford Road, Woodham Mortimer, was given a community order for possessing 0.24 grammes of cannabis a controlled class B drug, at Chelmsford on February 26.

He pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words of behaviour likely to provoke unlawful violence being used. He was ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS in addition to forfeiting the drugs and having them destroyed.

Drunk and disorderly

MICHAEL COOKE, 21, of Fairview Avenue, Hutton, was fined £85 for being drunk and disorderly in Exchange Way in Chelmsford on February 20. He must also pay a £20 victim surcharge and £50 costs to the CPS.

Harassment

CHRISTOPHER PAUL KNEVETT, 30, of Waterson Vale, Chelmsford, was given a restraining order not to contact Anne Marie-Hitchin, after pleading guilty to pursuing a course of conduct which amounted to harassment between February 12 and 25 at Chelmsford.

He had sent unwanted texts, letter and facebook messages from different accounts. He was fined £110 and must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Social Security offences

MARIA LOUISE TOWNER, of Francis Court, Silver End, was fined £100 for failing to notify Braintree District Council that she was living as husband and wife at Witham between February 3, 2012 and October 25, 2013, which would have affected her entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

She was fined £160, plus a £20 victim surcharge and must pay £450 costs.

Theft – shoplifting

CHRISTOPHER JAMES MILLER, 26, of Julien Court Road, Braintree, was given a conditional six month discharge for stealing deodorant valued at £5 from Sainsbury’s and various food items valued at £9.78 from Tesco in Braintree on February 21. He must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £40 costs to the CPS.

KEVIN LEE WILDERSPIN, 37, of Beadle Way, Great Leighs, was fined £250 for stealing meat valued at £99.98 from Tesco at Witham on November 1. He was fined £250 and must pay a £25 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

ROSS ALEX HUGHES, 26, of Andrews Place, Chelmsford, was fined £73 and ordered to pay £9.28 compensation plus a £20 victim surcharge for stealing goods valued at £9.28 from the Co-op in Chelmsford on September 10. He must also pay £9.79 compensation after stealing deodorant valued at £9.79 from the Co-op in Chelmsford on January 14. He was fined a further £37 for failing to attend Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on March 4, having been released on bail on February 16.

JOHN COLIN TEASDEL, 43, of Barnard Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for stealing two bottles of port valued at £23.98 from Marks & Spencer in Chelmsford on February 14 while subject to a community order imposed on November 1 was in force.

The original order was revoked and the defendant must present himself to Education, Training & Employment as directed for 15 days, attend Medium Alcohol Intervention Activity for 12 sessions, and attend supervised appointments with a responsible officer. He must pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Theft – other

LORNA MELITA GRIFFIN, 38, of Nelson Grove, Chelmsford, was fined £110 for stealing £60 to £70 from a wallet belonging to Mark Dutnall at Cash Converters in Chelmsford on December 11, acting together with Ashley Reid. She must pay £30 compensation, a £20 victim surcharge and must pay £50 costs to the CPS.

ASHLEY CRAIG REID, 29, of Nelson Grove, Chelmsford, was fined £75 for stealing money from the wallet of Mark Dutnall at Cash Converters in Chelmsford on December 11, together with Lorna Griffin. He was ordered to pay £30 compensation, a £20 victim and £50 costs to the CPS.

REBECCA BARBARA WILLIAMS, 27, of Burns Crescent, Chelmsford, was fined £110 for stealing 330 US dollars to the value of £220 from Graeme Brown at Chelmsford on December 18. She was ordered to pay £220 compensation, a £20 victim surcharge and £50 costs to the CPS.

Threatening behaviour

ALEX JAMIE ELVY, 22, of The Vineyards, Great Baddow, was given a community order for using threatening, abusive or insulting words of behaviour towards four males with intent to provoke unlawful violence being used.

The defendant must carry out 60 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Careless driving

PATRICK JOSEPH LOWTHER, 21, of Oxley Mead, Writtle, was given six penalty points for driving without due care and attention along Hunts Drive in Chelmsford on February 21.

He was fined £10 and must pay a £20 victim surcharge plus £85 costs to the CPS. He was also fined £73 for failing to stop and provide his name and address following an accident which damaged another vehicle.

He was also fined £10 for driving without insurance and had committed the offence while subject to a 12 month conditional discharge order imposed on October 23.

Drink-driving
STEPHEN GEORGE ANDREASE, 32, of Chignal Road, Chelmsford, was banned from driving for 18 months for driving along Corporation Road in Chelmsford on February 21 after he had been drinking.

His breath contained 67 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than one and a half times the limit. He was also fined £700 and must pay a £70 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

ALEXANDER DAVID DOUGLAS, 18, of Chatsworth Avenue, Great Notley, was given a 12 month driving ban for driving along Grantham Avenue at Great Notley on February 22 after he had been drinking.

The proportion of alcohol measured 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than one and a half times the limit. He was fined £110 and must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

CRAIG SCOTT-DOUGLAS, 29, of Finchly View, South Woodham Ferrers, was banned from driving for 20 months for driving along Waterhouse Lane in Chelmsford on November 17 after he had been drinking.

The proportion of alcohol in his breath measured 72 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than double the limit. He was fined £250, a £25 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

A COMMUNITY will gather together in a fortnight in memory of a teenager who died days after catching flu.

Friends and family of Melissa Price, 19, who died from complications caused by a strain of Influenza A, have rallied together to organise 'Mel's May Day' on May 17, a day filled with music, sports and bouncy castles in memory of the 'caring' teen from South Woodham Ferrers.

"It's a chance to remember Mel in a really good way. She was a fun and lovely young girl, and all her close friends have been involved in organising the day," said family friend Billy Foxwell.

"It's a fun day for the community of South Woodham where both Mel and her sister grew up, and held where they both went to school."

Melissa, or Mel to those who knew her, was just about to begin a college course training as a counsellor when she fell ill with a seemingly innocuous cold on January 2.

"I had a bit of a cold too and so we thought we'd caught it off one another but then on January 7 Mel came home from work and told my step-dad she felt rubbish and didn't want to go back," said older sister Stephanie.

"My mum couldn't sleep that night as she could hear Mel coughing and then at around midnight she went in and found that she was having trouble breathing and so called an ambulance. We followed in the car and thought she would be fine. We were really encouraged as they thought it was pneumonia and that's what she believed it was too."

But hours after being rushed to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Melissa suffered a cardiac arrest and her condition deteriorated to the point at which doctors decided to transfer her to Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, a specialist centre for heart and lung problems.

"I know it sounds strange but the atmosphere there was really positive. We would tell them what Mel's favourite songs were and when they came on the radio they would turn it up louder. There was one nurse called Ellie who was fantastic, she and Mel would have been friends if they'd met under different circumstances," added Stephanie, 22.

"Even when we were waiting for her to go we were still talking about funny things she had done as we thought it would be nice for her to hear that – if we wanted to cry we went outside and did it where she couldn't hear us."

The family were told that if Melissa made no improvement within 48 hours she would be unlikely to respond to treatment at all, and on January 13 the decision was made to switch off her life-support machine. It was only discovered after her death that she had suffered from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

It is as a result of the 'fantastic' treatment Melissa received at Papworth that her friends and family have worked together to organise 'Mel's May Day', to raise funds for both the hospital, and Haven's Hospice, which the teen supported.

"We had never heard of Papworth Hospital before we had to go there and seeing what they do we want to give something back so that they can help other's in Mel's situation," said Stephanie.

"The money we raise will help families who don't know how long they are going to be waiting, just like us.

"Mel always thought of others and she would love the fact that we have brought the community together for a day of family fun."

WIRED up to hospital tubes, losing hair and intermittently vomiting blood, Tasha Corrigan's mother and partner were told to prepare for the worst.

Life-threatening conditions septicaemia and infective endocarditis were putting both her unborn baby's, and her own, life at risk.

Two years after the pair pulled through, however, the 21-year-old, of Laurence Avenue, Witham, is singing in the final of a countywide competition.

"For me this is like winning the lottery," said Tasha.

"This year, after nearly dying, I have realised that you need to take chances to achieve things in life, and you don't ever know what tomorrow holds or even if you will be around tomorrow."

Tasha has suffered from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) since she was eight, meaning she has to cope with intestinal failure, her joints dislocating, a bladder three times the usual size and easily bruising skin.

By her 15th birthday Tasha, who uses crutches, had to leave school due to illness, but could still sing to backing tracks during spells in hospital.

Despite being told it would be near impossible to have children, she gave birth to 5lb 7oz daughter Isabella, now 18 months old, via a Caesarean section in 2012.

Her latest goal is to win a chance to sing at Wembley alongside hip-hop artist Miss Dynamite. A month ago, Tasha, who was rejected by X Factor several years ago, auditioned for the county's lesser known version Factor Essex at a Basildon nightclub. After making it to the final 20, she will perform live every Sunday, until May 4.

"There was one thing that always made me happy, one thing that I could express myself through with minimal pain – and that was music," said Tasha, who played piano as a child.

"I have now got through to the live shows and I'm so excited.

"Hopefully, I will do Essex proud."

A LORRY driver who "thought he was a goner" after he lost control and overturned on a Maldon road has blamed the road surface for the incident.

John Bonnell, 29, was driving his tipper truck full of sand from G&B Finch's quarry in the village of Asheldham near Southminster to DP World in Thurrock when he lost control negotiating a bend on the Lower Burnham Road in Cold Norton.

He says his lorry's wheel went over the side of the road which made the truck overturn and block the two-lane road just before 10am on Friday.

"I just came down the road normally. I came round the bend and I slowed down as I had an articulated lorry coming the other way," said Mr Bonnell, who escaped with a few grazes to his arm in the incident and says he was not speeding.

"The back of the lorry just dropped down off the road so I corrected it and the next thing I knew the lorry just turned over. There was a driver behind and he said when I went over the side of the road it had collapsed.

"I thought I was a goner because I saw the telegraph pole coming. I clambered out the back and the first thing I thought was 'where's my fags'?"

Police closed the road between North Fambridge Road and Kitts Hill Road while two recovery vehicles and Highways Department staff attended the scene, cleared away the large amount of sand and winched the lorry upright.

PC Gary Winfield of the Commercial Vehicle Unit at Essex Police was at the scene along with three of his colleagues.

He said: "I'm going to be downloading the data-logging machine and checking the speed data." Police later said that Mr Bonnell has been reported for careless driving.

PUPILS at St Anne's Preparatory School will gather with crowds to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh tomorrow (May 6) when they visit Chelmsford.

The royal couple will be at the city's cathedral for a service in the morning to mark the centenary year of the diocese of Chelmsford, before moving onto Felsted School in the afternoon, which is celebrating its 450th anniversary.

The New London Road-based prep school's geography co-ordinator Jessica Butterworth told the Chronicle on Monday: "I saw the Queen back in 1977 when my school went along to the train station. Now I'm just really excited to share it with the children and I hope it will give them some memories.

"I think the children have seen all the pictures of William and Kate in Australia and thought it was a long way away, but now they are all excited that it will happen here."

A GRANDDAUGHTER has raised £5,500 for Macmillan cancer support by holding a charity night with raffles, competitions and even a sponsored waxing in honour of her nan who died last year.

Amber Cogger, from North Fambridge, lost her nan Maureen Knight last year after she fought a long battle with cancer and received "fantastic" care from Macmillan nurses before she passed away.

Amber, 23, arranged a number of eye-catching prizes such as a signed Wayne Rooney football shirt, signed Arsenal and West Ham footballs, a pamper hamper, chocolates and singing lessons.

She told the Chronicle: "I had a really good time and I've had some amazing feedback about the night. The place was packed with over 150 guests.

"I contacted a lot of companies to see if they could help out in any way and thankfully some could. So many people I knew came down to support me and it made for a great night."

Amber, a financial administrator in the city who lives at home with her parents and her 21-year-old brother, held the event held at the Ferry Boat Inn in Ferry Road, North Fambridge, on Saturday April 12.

"My nan was a very family-orientated lady and would have loved to have been there to see us all having fun," said Amber.

"It feels good to be able to give something back to the nurses that were all fantastic with my nan."

Macmillan Cancer Support provides practical, medical and financial support and pushes for better care for those suffering with cancer.

Denise McCrossen, 59, has been a partner in the Ferry Boat Inn for the last two years and was kept busy on the night by thirsty customers.

She said: "It was a brilliant night in the pub. It was full of people all having a good time and we would love to do it again. There were some brilliant prizes on offer and that's why Amber was able to raise so much money.

"We know the family well and we were very happy to support Amber. This is a village pub and it was so good to see all of the villagers in the pub on the night.

"It was a real community get-together."

Specialist computer manufacturers for the food industry, Hellenic Systems, who are based in South Woodham Ferrers, paid for a marquee to be erected in the garden and donated £1,000 to the night.

"I would like to thank the Ferry Boat Inn for letting us have it there, the MU Foundation at Manchester United FC for sending us a signed pennant from the players and everyone else that helped on the night," said Amber.

One brave man even volunteered to have his back and bottom waxed receiving over £400 in sponsorship money.

After the success of arranging her first charity event, Amber has set her sights on making the fundraiser an annual occasion: "Even after the hard work I really enjoyed the night and next time I want to make it even bigger."

A FARMER, pilot and former parish councillor died from head injuries when he fell from a petrol tanker that was delivering fuel to his airfield in Rayne.

David McGregor, 75, of Rayne Hall Farm, Shalford Road, Rayne, was checking the level of the batch of fuel when he had the fall on May 9 last year.

Tanker driver, Andrew Linley, was the other side of the HGV making preparations to transfer the diesel to Mr McGregor's bowser storage tank when he realised what had happened.

Mr Linley performed CPR as two employees of the farm, including ex-special constable and trained first aider, Melvin Taylor-Patterson, arrived on the scene.

Doctors and paramedics rushed to the airfield and tried to resuscitate Mr McGregor.

He was taken by air ambulance to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, but he was later pronounced dead.

A postmortem examination was conducted at Broomfield Hospital and concluded that Mr McGregor died from cerebral lacerations and contusions and that there were no alcohol or drugs in his system.

An inquest held at County Hall in Chelmsford on Tuesday (April 29) heard how Mr McGregor was a flying enthusiast and had passed his amateur pilot licence, often flying small planes out of Rayne Hall Farm, that he owned with his wife.

The two-hour hearing heard from the two witnesses who were at the farm on the day of Mr McGregor's death, as well as Glyn Davies, a Health and Safety Executive inspector.

He arrived at the airfield later that afternoon to assess the situation and found that Mr McGregor probably fell from the back of the tanker as he was climbing down the ladder and hit his head on the concrete below.

As it was a small delivery made with an old tanker, it was commonplace for customers to climb onto the tanker to check that the amount of fuel they were receiving was correct.

Glyn Davies of the Health and Safety Executive told the court how Mr McGregor's shoes were worn on the soles and that footwear should ideally be rubber-soled when working at a considerable height.

"These factors did not appear to be causative to Mr McGregor's fall and we have issued further training and advice to the driver of the tanker as he was new to the position," he added.

The court also heard how Mr McGregor was in good spirits that morning and that he was joking with the driver Mr Linley.

"He was clearly a very busy and interesting gentleman and a much-liked man, even by people who had only known him a few minutes," said coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray.

As this incident involved health and safety issues, it had to be conducted in the presence of a jury, who were directed by the coroner to record a verdict of accidental death.