CASES heard by Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates from Wednesday April 9 to Tuesday April 15.

Sent to prison

RIAN MARK THOMAS, 21, of Ravens Crescent, Felsted, was sent to prison for 12 weeks for the original offence of assault, having failed to comply with the requirements of a community order made on February 14 last year to attend appointments on February 1, March 22 and 23.

He was also given 12 weeks concurrent for the original offence of resisting a Police Constable in the execution of his duty.

DARRYLL LUKE BRIGHT, 29, of Lathcoates Crescent, Chelmsford, was sent to prison for 18 weeks for breaching a non molestation order by sending text messages that were abusive, intimidating and threatening between September 24 and October 2, 2013 when he had been prohibited from doing so.

He was also given a restraining order not to contact the victim.

PAUL ROBERT JOHN APPLETON, 26, of Twelve Acres, Braintree, was sent to prison for 18 weeks. He was given four weeks for stealing six Nintendo DS games to the value of £226 from Tesco in Braintree on March 24; four weeks consecutive for stealing Xbox One controllers and an Xbox One media controller to the value of £110 from Tesco in Braintree on March 27; and two weeks consecutive for failing to surrender to custody on April 11, having been released on bail.

He was also given four weeks consecutive for the original offence of handling stolen goods for which a conditional discharge was given on February 4; and four weeks consecutive for the original offence of stealing goods valued £339.98 from Sainsbury’s on February 25, for which he had been given a community order.

JIMMY BARTON, 60, of no fixed address, was sent to prison for eight weeks for assaulting a Police Constable in the execution of his duty at Chelmsford on April 11, by spitting and kicking.

He was also given eight weeks concurrent for assaulting a second Police Constable and using threatening, abusive words or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress in Chelmsford on April 11.

Assault

SARAH-JAYNE HOLMES, 37, of Colyers Reach, Chelmsford, was given a conditional discharge for 12 months for assaulting a Police Constable in the execution of his duty in Chelmsford on March 22.

She must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

CHARLOTTE LUCY GRAVES, 22, of Widford Chase, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting a Police Constable in the execution of her duty at Chelmsford on March 8.

She was also in possession of a quantity of cannabis, a controlled class B drug.

The defendant was placed under a curfew for seven days, with electronic monitoring, and must attend appointments with a responsible officer.

She must pay £100 compensation plus a victim surcharge of £60 and forfeit the drugs and have them destroyed.

Breach of order

MATTHEW EDWARD CROUCH, 38, of Upper Mill Field, Dunmow, was given a new community order for the original offence of trespass and theft, after failing to attend an appointment on November 8 and for showing unacceptable behaviour when attending Harlow Probation Office on February 27.

He was ordered to attend appointments with a responsible officer and pay £75 costs.

KERRY LOUISA CARTELL, 37, of Park Drive, Braintree, was given a 12 month conditional discharge for the original offences of theft after being absent from her place of curfew as required by a community order made by Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on February 12.

The community order was revoked and she must pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Criminal damage

MARTIN GORDON STYLES, 50, of Brockenhurst Way, Bicknacre, was ordered to pay £50 compensation for damaging a plaster board to the value of £50 belonging to Patrick O’Connor at Chelmsford on March 19.

He was also given a 12 month conditional discharge for beating Patrick and must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

DANIAL SCOTT HUGHES, 30, of Beehive Court, Chelmsford, was fined £330 for damaging a black taxi to the value of £120 belonging to Ajmal Bukhari at Chelmsford on February 15.

He was ordered to pay £320 compensation, plus a £33 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

KYLE ANDREW GREEN, 20, of Edward Bright Close, Maldon, was given a community order for destroying two doors, a canvas picture and a chair to the value of £200 belonging to Jane Marie Green at Maldon on March 28.

The defendant must carry out 60 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, and pay £200 compensation.

Drugs - possession

CHARLOTTE LUCY GRAVES, 22, of Widford Chase, Chelmsford, was given a community order for possessing a quantity of cannabis, a controlled class B drug, at Chelmsford on March 25 while subject to a conditional discharge order imposed on March 14 for three months.

She was placed under a curfew for seven days with electronic monitoring and ordered to attend appointments with a responsible officer.

Drunk and disorderly

GREGG THOMAS GIARNESE, 25, of St Michaels Drive, Roxwell, was fined £240 for being drunk and disorderly in Wells Street, Chelmsford, on March 29. He must pay a £25 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Harassment

IAN EDWARD SWAIN, 57, of Woodhall Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for harassing Vicky Tanner between March 16 and 20 in Chelmsford by repeatedly asking for money while subject to a 12 month conditional discharge imposed on July 29 for assault.

He was placed under a curfew for six weeks, with electronic monitoring and given a restraining order prohibiting the defendant from contacting Vicky or going to Pembroke Place. He must pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

LUKASZ DOMAGALA, 31, of Mersea Fleet Way, Braintree, was given a community order for harassing Malgorzata Domagala at Braintree between October 1 last year and February 24 this year.

He had continually turned up at her address unannounced and been abusive and stared at her and continually called her and was abusive over the phone.

The defendant must carry out 120 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, and was given a restraining order not to contact Ms Domagala. He must also pay a £60 victim surcharge and £115 costs to the CPS.

Social Security offences

LAURA MARIE HOOPER, 37, of Navigation Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions at Chelmsford between May 19, 2011, and July 15, 2012, and also on December 28, 2012, of full and accurate details of her capital which she knew would affect her entitlement to Jobseeker’s Allowance.

She also made a false statement to Chelmsford City Council on December 28, 2012, with a view to obtaining Council Tax Benefit and between May 23, 2011 and January 6, 2012 with a view to obtaining Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

The defendant must carry out 180 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £100 costs to the CPS.

NICOLA WALLACE, 25, of Tattersalls Chase, Southminster, was fined £75 for failing to notify the Department for Work and Pensions that she was in receipt of student loans and grants between October 27, 2012 and May 31, 2013, that would have affected her entitlement to Income Support.

She also failed to provide full and accurate details of her income at Southminster on March 1, 2013, that would have affected her entitlement to Income Support and did not notify Maldon District Council that she was in receipt of student loans and grants between October 27, 2012, and June 17, 2013, that would have affected her entitlement to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

She must also pay a £20 victim surcharge and £100 costs to the CPS.

Theft – shoplifting

CLARE GODDARD, 30, of Hobart Close, Chelmsford, was given a 12 month conditional discharge after stealing CDs and DVDs of an unknown value from the Co-op in Chelmsford on December 15.

She must pay a £15 victim surcharge.

KAREN LORAINE MOBSBY, 43, of Nelson Grove, Chelmsford, was given a community order for stealing various items valued at £40.80 from Primark in Chelmsford on November 18.

She was ordered to attend appointments with a responsible officer. She had also stolen a jelly pot valued at £1.10 from Boots in Chelmsford on March 5; tea towels costing £1.99 from Linens Direct; and make-up and a necklace valued at £4.09 from Superdrug.

She was fined £50 for stealing a book worth £1.99 from The Works bookshop in Chelmsford on February 27 and must pay a £60 victim surcharge and £30 costs to the CPS.

MATTHEW EDWARD CROUCH, 38, of Upper Mill Field, Dunmow, was given a community order for stealing a wallet to the value of £7.50 from Marks & Spencer in Harlow on February 18.

The defendant must attend appointments with a responsible officer, pay a victim surcharge of £60 and £85 costs to the CPS.

Theft – other

MONIQUE ROACH, 38, of Bartram Avenue, Braintree, was given a 12 month conditional discharge for stealing money to the value of £52.61 from Burger King in Braintree on March 16.

She must pay £52.61 compensation, a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Threatening behaviour

GEORGINA ELIZABETH KELLY, 39, of Harrington Mead, Chelmsford, was fined £50 for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to provoke unlawful violence being used at Chelmsford on January 11.

She must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £40 costs to the CPS.

No licence or insurance

LEE FILBY, 30, of Cheviot Drive, Chelmsford, was given six points on his licence for driving along Cheviot Drive in Chelmsford on September 27 without insurance.

He also pleaded guilty to driving with a provisional driving licence, not displaying L plates, and was unsupervised.

He was fined £400 and must pay a £40 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Drink driving

TOM EDWARD BURROWS, 37, of Widford Road, Chelmsford, was disqualified from driving for 20 months for driving along the A12 at Boreham on March 29 after he had been drinking. The proportion of alcohol measured 64 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than one and a half times over the limit. He was fined £300 and must pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

CHRISTOPHER CHARLES MAILE, 26, of Saffron Way, Tiptree, was given ten penalty points for driving along The Chase at Harlow on March 16 after he had been drinking. His breath contained 62 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than one and a half times the limit. He was fined £250 and must pay a £25 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

THE SISTER of a builder found hanged in his Chelmsford prison cell says all inmates deserve equal care, whatever their conviction.

Charlie Roe's brother Wayne, 29, of Southend, died on Sunday, March 23, two days into his 12-week term for assaulting his girlfriend.

The 27-year-old said: "The way I see it is at the end of the day, they have committed the offence but that doesn't mean that the duty of care that they have been given should be anything less."

The family believe Wayne, who had previously tried to kill himself, should have been kept on close watch by officers.

Two weeks ago the prison finally passed them a suicide letter left by Wayne.

"It didn't provide any closure, not really, because they told us it was a letter when in fact it was a couple of sentences scribbled on a bit of paper," she said.

"It was one sentence for my mum and one for his girlfriend when we were led to believe it was a proper letter.

"They should have given that to us straight away and not made us wait."

An inquest into Wayne's death is expected to take place later this year.

CHILDREN at Westlands Community Primary School banded together and dressed loud and lairy to raise over £330 for a charity that helps a baby with a rare skin condition.

The grandson of school teacher Kay Holby, Daniel Maples, aged 19 months, was born six weeks prematurely and with lamellar ichthyosis. The condition means excess skin is produced and it comes off in plate-like scales. His skin is also liable to split on his feet when he walks and he has to have at least two baths a day to keep his skin moist, as well as regular moisturising. But the condition is rare, with only one in 600,000 babies becoming affected.

Daniel's mum, Emma Holby, 23, who lives in South Woodham Ferrers, said: "There was only one doctor who had seen ichthyosis in any form but for the rest of the staff this was their first experience of this condition.

"But then we found the Ichthyosis Support Group. They were fantastic - they sent me through a pack of information and it was about the different treatment options and we got in contact with other people who had the same thing we had.

"Without the group it would have been very isolating not being able to ask questions about the condition."

The total raised by the pupils, who donned brightly coloured clothes, for the ISG was £332.

IN AN ILLUSTRIOUS career spanning decades Dave Fountain has designed a Lord of the Rings inspired garden, carried out landscaping work for the Prince of Qatar and broken the Guinness World Record for transplanting the tallest tree in the world.

But the 68-year-old, from North Fambridge, of Dave Fountain Designs, maintains that building this year's gold medal-winning entry at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show is "the most complicated garden he has ever worked on in his life".

Designed by LDC and built by Dave with a team of helpers, the Mind's Eye Garden took home the accolade of Best Fresh Garden at this year's famous London show, which ran from May 20 to 24.

Created for the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), the winning exhibit incorporated texture, sound and smells to stimulate all the senses.

Dave said: "The water feature was created to give the effect of having partially lost your sight. It's a glass cube with water flowing on top and running down the sides which blurs your vision. There are touchy-feely stands, the sound of dripping water and moss on a wall to give sensation.

"It was the most complicated garden I have ever worked on in my life, the most challenging – the minute we finished it I said we have a gold medal winner here."

The sensory walled garden was inspired by a joint scheme between Countryside, the company behind the multi-million pound Beaulieu housing development in Chelmsford, and the RNIB, to redevelop the existing RNIB Community Living Service facilities at Redhill, Surrey.

As a former landscape director for Countryside, Dave was asked to oversee its construction, a process which took nine labour-intensive days, although work commitments kept him from attending the show himself.

In his time working as a landscape architect the businessman has built a garden for car manufacturer Skoda, been involved in a Tolkien-themed outdoor space which now features on the official Lord of the Rings website, created designs for Qatar royalty, and appeared on BBC Gardeners' World Live.

In 2001, together with singer turned gardener Kim Wilde, he secured the Guinness World Record for successfully moving the world's largest tree – a 17.8 metre high London plane tree – from Belgium before replanting it at a new housing development in Manchester. The tree stood for six years until it was toppled by a storm in 2007.

"For me this is more than just a job it's a passion," Dave said. "I'm thinking of semi-retiring but I'll keep gardening. I'm very interested in doing care homes for dementia patients."

Graham Cherry, chief executive of Countryside, said: "We are delighted that the RHS judges honoured us with the Best Fresh Garden award against some very tough competition. The garden really does look fabulous and it is a credit to the team effort of everyone involved.

"Our partnership with RNIB has given us insight into the valuable work the charity does and we are pleased that our sponsorship has allowed them to share this on the world stage at Chelsea Flower Show."

INSPIRED by the tropical landscape of a Caribbean island, RHS Chelsea Flower Show stalwart Suzanne Gaywood narrowly missed out on her eleventh gold medal at this year's show.

However, the 64-year-old, from Woodham Walter, did take home a Silver-Gilt award for her team's entry Spice Isle, which used ornamental gingers, heliconias, and orchids to recreate a scene from the island of Grenada, where Suzanne was born.

"I was hoping for gold, everyone strives to achieve that standard, but I have come to terms with it," said Suzanne, who also runs gardening tours of her exotic birthplace with Individual Holidays.

"The judging was much stricter this year. They have been very particular, and have come down very hard on the exhibits.

"I consoled myself when I realised that it was my fifth silver-gilt, and I have double the number of golds."

Indeed this year's medal brings Suzanne's total haul at the Chelsea show to 16 in 16 years of competing, where even in the first year as "novices" she and her team took home a silver award.

For the 2014 entry, which is seven metres in diameter, visitors could gaze on a sandy beach with coral coloured flowers on one side, and walk round to find a galvanised hut on the other full of vibrant, rainforest-inspired species set off by a ground cover of nutmeg shells.

For more information about Suzanne at the show go to www.grenada-at-chelsea.org.uk

A PLAN to build up to 367 new homes in Burnham were discussed at a town council meeting last week.

Councillors considered a proposal submitted by Pigeon Land Ltd.

The firm wanted full planning permission for 113 homes on a site 4.32 hectares south of Maldon Road.

The firm has also asked for outline permission for another 185 homes, a 50 to 60 bed care home including 14 sheltered bungalows, five self-build market homes, 14 self-build affordable homes, and a nursery school.

The proposals also include a new primary school and a supermarket with a reconfiguration of Maldon Road and associated infrastructure.

But Burnham Residents Opposed to Over Development (BROOD) believe the plan could create a "ghetto" in Burnham with people taking up low- cost housing with little job prospects.

Chairman of BROOD Dennis Price said: "This plan is in total disregard of what residents have said. They haven't listened to residents at all.

"We don't want to create a ghetto here in Burnham with one huge development to the west of Burnham.

"There aren't a lot of jobs here and people could be stranded in low cost housing with no real prospect of employment.

"We know there will have to be building in Burnham but it's about the right amount in the right place that will be best for Burnham."