Cases heard by Colchester and Chelmsford magistrates from Friday April 25 to Wednesday April 30.

Sent to prison

DANNY GOLIGHTLY, 31, of HMP Chelmsford, was sent to prison for 14 days for stealing a gold chain and pendant valued at £200 from Paul Crick between June 1 and July 31 last year.

PETER JOHN DALTON, 42, of Templar Road, Braintree, was sent to prison for 20 weeks for assaulting a woman by beating her in a domestic environment at Braintree on March 22.

He was also given a restraining order not to contact her or have contact with the children.

JOSEPH GEORGE WILLIAMS, 26, of Watchouse Road, Chelmsford, was sent to prison for 12 weeks for using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards a police constable at Chelmsford on October 2.

The defendant had failed to comply with community orders.

DANIEL KEITH LOOKER, 33, of Armond Road, Witham, was sent to prison for six months for assaulting a woman by beating her at Braintree on July 23 in a serious assault that caused injury over a period of hours and in the presence of children.

He was also given a restraining order not to use threatening violence towards her, not to intimidate or harass her, and must not go within 40m of Rickstones Road in Witham.

He was also given two six month concurrent sentences for two counts of assaulting her on July 23 at Braintree.

MARTIN PAUL CANSELL, 43, of Bardell Close, Chelmsford, was sent to prison for seven months.

He was given one month for failing to provide a sample to ascertain whether he had a class A drug at Chelmsford on March 3, while he was subject to a suspended sentence order imposed on February 4.

He was given four months for the original offence of theft committed on February 2 and two months for the original offence of theft committed on January 10.

Suspended sentence

DEAN MARTIN HUGHES, 31, of Hardy Close, Braintree, was given a 13 weeks sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was given two weeks consecutive for stealing two garlic breads valued at £2.80 from Sainsbury in Braintree on April 23.

The defendant had committed the offence while on bail.

He must have treatment for drug dependency for six months and attend appointments with a responsible officer.

He was given three weeks, suspended, for stealing a bicycle valued at £1,000 from Samuel Parkin at Halstead on January 27, and ordered to pay £500 compensation and an £80 victim surcharge.

He was also given four two week consecutive sentences for four counts of taking food and alcohol from the Co-op in Halstead in January and February this year.

SEAN ROBERT POULTON, 26, of Dover Close, Braintree, was given a 23 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for stealing a large quantity of lead from the roofs of garages in Sandwich Close, Braintree, on January 14 of an unknown value. The defendant damaged in the region of at least £3,500 and showed a lack of remorse.

He was placed under a curfew for four months, with electronic monitoring, and must have treatment for drug dependency for 12 months.

He must also attend appointments with a responsible officer, and pay £500 compensation.

Assault

JOANNA KIRJALAINEN, 45, of St Joseph Court, Braintree, was given a six month conditional discharge for assaulting a man by beating him at Tollesbury on March 22.

She also failed to surrender to custody at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on April 22, having been released on bail on April 8. She must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £40 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

MATTHEW JOHN WEBBER, 41, of Lewis Drive, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting a woman by beating her at Chelmsford on March 29.

He must participate in Building Better Relationships for 32 days, attend appointments with a responsible officer, and carry out 150 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months. He must pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

KEVIN ANTHONY CHINNERY, 30, of Churchill Rise, Springfield, was fined £110 for assaulting Nick Griffin by beating him at Chelmsford on April 27.

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

THOMAS LESLIE STUBBINGS, 30, of Pump Mead Close, Southminster, was fined £200 for assaulting John Scott by beating him at Chelmsford on December 22.

He must pay £250 compensation plus a £20 victim surcharge and £620 costs to the CPS. He was also fined a further £200 for assaulting Matthew Dean by beating him, also at Chelmsford on December 22, and ordered to pay £50 compensation.

Breach of order

STEVEN ROSS PARKHURST, 26, of Redmayne Drive, Chelmsford, was ordered to carry out 20 hours of unpaid, supervised work, in addition to the original requirements of a community order made on April 8.

He had failed to comply on two occasions during April. He must also pay £50 costs.

BRADELY STAINES, 18, of Willow Walk, Tiptree, must carry out an additional 20 hours unpaid, supervised work, in additional to the original requirements of a community order imposed on October 28.

He had failed to attend appointments on February 29 and March 21. He must also pay £25 costs.

GEORGE DEAN CLARK, 45, of Clements Close, Springfield, must carry out an additional 20 hours of unpaid, supervised work, in additional to the requirements of a community order imposed on March 19, having failed to attend two appointments in April.

He must also pay £50 costs.

BOBBY LEWIS JOHN MANZI, 20, of New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, was ordered to do an additional 20 hours of unpaid, supervised work in additional to the requirements of a community order imposed on August 19.

He had failed to attend two appointments in April. He must also pay £50 costs.

LANCE TAYLOR, 22, of Nounsley Road, Hatfield Peverel, was ordered to carry out an extra 40 hours of unpaid, supervised work, in addition to the requirements of a community order imposed on August 19, after failing to attend two appointments in April. He must also pay £50 costs.

JOHN TEASDEL, 44, of Barnard Road, Chelmsford, was ordered to participate in Education, Training and Employment for five days. He had failed to attend two appointments in April as required by a community order imposed on March 12. He must pay £50 costs.

Drugs - possession

PETER NICHOLAS MICHAEL CONLAN, 59, of Victoria Road, Maldon, was fined £135 for possessing 0.45 grams of MMC, a controlled Class B drug, at Chelmsford on February 14. He must pay a £20 victim surcharge, £85 costs to the CPS and forfeit the drugs and have them destroyed.

PAULA JANE CANSELL, 40, of Bardell Close, Chelmsford, was fined £110 for failing to provide a sample at Chelmsford on March 3 into whether she had a Class A drug in her body. She must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Harassment

MARLENE BAIN, 67, of Cawkwell Close, Chelmsford, was given a restraining order for harassing Andrew Bain at Feering on or before April 11 by attending his home, and phoning and posting abusive letters.

She was prohibited from contacting Andrew or Helen Bain and must not go to Watermill Road in Feering. She was fined £420 and must pay a £42 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

PAUL ROBERT MIALL, 56, of The Withy Windle, South Woodham Ferrers, was given a 12 month conditional discharge for harassing Lorraine Down by sending two voice messages and one text message on April 13 at Chelmsford, despite a warning by police.

He was given a restraining order not to contact Lorraine or go to Barrow Chase in Chelmsford. He must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Offensive weapons

MARIUSZ KUBISIAK, 32, of Ouse Chase, Witham, was given a community order for being in possession of an extendable ASP and a knuckleduster at The Orchards, Witham, on March 5.

He must carry out 50 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a £60 victim surcharge, £85 costs to the CPS and forfeit the weapons and have them destroyed.

Protection of livestock

BRIAN JAMES NEAL, 33, of Hunts Drive, Writtle, must pay £150 compensation for being the owner of a dog which worried a flock of sheep on agricultural land at Margaretting Road, Writtle, on November 12.

He must also pay £85 costs to the CPS.

Sexual offences

CHRISTIAN MARSHALL, 37, of no fixed address, was fined £110 for failing to register a new address between April 22 and 27 at Chelmsford, the defendant being a relevant offender within the terms of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

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

Theft - handling

CHRISTOPHER MCDONALD, 18, of Tennyson Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for handling a stolen Peugeot moped to the value of £999 belonging to Harry Stilgoe at Chelmsford on January 7.

The defendant must carry out 100 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay £100 compensation, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Theft – shoplifting

IAIN TARR, 37, of New London Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for stealing cat food, socks, coffee and CDs valued at £10 from Poundland in Chelmsford on April 9 whilst subject a conditional discharge imposed on October 15 for theft.

The defendant must have treatment for alcohol dependency for six months and attend appointments with a responsible officer.

He was fined £50 and must pay a £60 victim surcharge and £40 costs to the CPS.

STEFAN ANDREAS AGHA , 22, of Longleaf Drive, Braintree, was fined £100 for stealing an iPad valued at £500 from Sweetdirect in Braintree on February 6.

He was ordered to pay £500 compensation, plus a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

KHADRA ALI SAID, 29, of Hutchinson Close, Tiptree, was given a community order for stealing lager to the value of £10.79 from Tesco in Colchester on April 11 while subject to a six month conditional discharge order imposed on January 17 for theft.

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

Drink-driving

TINA CUTMORE, 47, of Boars Tye Road, Silver End, was banned from driving for 20 months for driving along Broad Road in Braintree on April 11 after she had been drinking.

The alcohol measured 84 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than double the limit. She was fined £36, plus a £36 victim surcharge and must pay £85 costs to the CPS.

NEIL PARKES, 52, of Oak Lodge Tye, Springfield, was given a community order and disqualified from driving for 26 months for driving along Oak Lodge Tye on April 13 with 108 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than three times the limit.

He was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

ROBERT HARRY SLEET, 22, of Lathcoates Crescent, Chelmsford, was given a 12 month driving ban for driving along Chelmer Road, Chelmsford, on April 14 after he had been drinking and was over the limit.

His breath contained 43 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

He was fined £110 and must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £40 costs to the CPS.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle which had no test certificate.

BRIAN HAYWARD, 40, of Britten Crescent, Witham, was given a community order for driving along Maltings Lane, Witham, on April 9 after he had been drinking.

His breath contained 98 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, more than two and a half times the limit.

He must participate in Medium Alcohol Intervention Programme for 12 days, attend appointments with a responsible officer, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years.

PUNNETS of strawberries aplenty were picked in record-breaking numbers as an annual race took place for the 11th time.

Tiptree's Strawberry Race saw about 150 people take to the fields of famous jam-makers Wilkin and Sons on Thursday to try to pick as many of the Little Scarlets variety in an hour as they could.

Anton Thurgood, farm commercial manager, said: "The record was broken twice.

"The crop looked fantastic, it's been a good year so far, but we're not counting our chickens."

The previous record of 6.88kg was beaten by a haul of 7.63kg and 8.245kg, the latter collected by Svetoslav Mandalov.

This year's theme was a Mad Hatter's tea party, and several characters from Alice in Wonderland could be found in the fields at Bounds Farm, Goldhanger.

Competitors this year included a team of London chefs, who took part before taking a tour of the farm to see the range of fresh fruit grown.

Within hours, the fruit was whisked back to the Wilkin and Sons factory in Tiptree to be turned into jam.

Mr Thurgood added: "We had a Mad Hatter's tea party afterwards and we're still counting up the money raised."

BBC Essex's Steve Scruton handed out prizes for fastest picker, fastest UK picker, fastest team, best hat and best dressed.

Chris Newenham, farm director, said: "This year we raised towards a lunch for 129 retired people in Tiptree, one for each year we've been going."

A schoolboy was approached by a stranger while cycling home on Monday (June 23) in Colchester. 

The ten-year-old was cycling along Forest Road at around 4.15pm when a man driving a blue car stopped and invited him into the vehicle.

The boy immediately fled the scene on his bike and told his parents who contacted police.

Anyone with information about the car driver, who was described as being white, aged about 40-50, and with grey hair and grey stubble, should contact the investigating officer Pc Joanne Barlow at Colchester police station on 101. 

A fourth woman has been arrested today (June 26) by detectives investigating allegations against care staff at the Old Deanery care home in Braintree. 

The woman in her 40s from Braintree was questioned and released on police bail until July whilst enquiries continue. 

A NEW Morrisons shop will be opening on the site of the old Jack and Jenny pub tomorrow. 

The Morrisons M local on Hatfield Road, Witham, will add 20 new jobs to the town's workforce and will be open from 6am to 11pm every day. 

The grand opening will take place at 9am and performed by children from nearby Howbridge, Chipping Hill, and Holy Family primary schools. 

The store will have meat and veg section plus a fresh coffee dispenser with pastries and bread. 

The former Jack and Jenny pub has been empty since April 2013 and was bought by the supermarket giant to convert into an M Local store – similar to a Tesco Express or Sainsbury's Local. 

Witham Town Council and residents who live near the site down Maltings Lane were strongly against the proposal and raised concerns about antisocial behaviour after Braintree District Council approved the same licencing hours for the shop as the pub had enjoyed. 

Residents were also concerned about the possibility of increased traffic in the road from lorries and cars from customers. 

The lights on the store were also a hot topic at a Braintree District Council meeting on May 13 when some councillors raised concerns about the brightness and amount of lights on the shop. 

 Councillors initially deferred a decision until clarity on the opening times could be given. 

Morrisons have since announced that the store will open with on Thursday, June 27.

AFTER countless complaints, a handful of petitions and a catalogue of angry letters to the Chronicle over many years, could it finally be the end of the road for First Essex?

The national firm will face a public inquiry on Monday (June 30), holding it to account for the failures of its Essex services. Poor punctuality, frequent breakdowns, irregular services and missing buses are among the litany of complaints directed at the company.

And it is expected that the Traffic Commissioner will decide, following the hearing at Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge, next week, whether or not the company should hold onto their licence to operate routes across the county.

Former Chelmsford Borough councillor Bill Horslen, who first requested a formal investigation into First Essex with the Vehicle and Operator Standards Agency (VOSA) nearly two years ago, said: "I just want justice. I want the passengers to get some satisfaction that the bus company has been held to account.

"If you go out to catch a bus you expect that it will turn up and when it doesn't, it's no laughing matter. This is millions of pounds of taxpayers' money that they are spending."

It was when Labour supporter Bill was running as a county council candidate in the 2013 elections that he began compiling complaints against the company, in particular the Number 45 route running between Writtle, Westlands and Moulsham Lodge.

Also of assistance were the pages of documents kept and catalogued by secretary of the Waterhouse Farm Residents' Association Mavis Ring over a period of around 15 years.

"Over that time we had some irate meetings with the various management teams and there were promises to do more for us," said retiree Mavis.

"I absolutely think it's not just a problem with the Number 45. You only have to stand at the bus station to listen to the comments of people about the service to see that."

Armed with this bundle of evidence, which Bill estimates amounted to a 100-page document, the retired bus driver posted his case to VOSA months ago, and only learned last week that a formal public inquiry was to take place before the Traffic Commissioner as a result. He said: "I think the problem is endemic across Essex and they get away with it because people aren't prepared to go through this long and complex process which I've gone through.

"I want them to make it easier for others to complain," added Bill, who worked as a driver for Eastern National before being made redundant in 1994, the company that would later be owned by First Buses.

Following the public inquiry on Monday the Traffic Commissioner may issue a formal warning to the company, reduce the number of their vehicles in operation, issue a fine, or ultimately suspend or revoke their licence if he deems it necessary.

However city councillor Mark Springett believes if the worst case scenario for the company is realised, users could find a hole in services.

"If they had their licence taken away then who would take over?" said Cllr Springett, whose Moulsham Lodge ward collected 600 signatures on a petition demanding improvements to the service.

"I'm sure there are solutions that can improve the service rather than removing the licence.

"I hope that the Traffic Commissioner could direct the bus company to manage the problems that they have. I would like the company to have the chance to put it right."

Some of those that have long fought for improvements to bus routes across the county believe First Bus is already moving in the right direction.

Ursula Benjafield, vice-chairman of the Dengie Hundred Bus Users' Group, said: "It takes a long time to turn things around that have been quite neglected.

"There have been a lot of changes over the past two to three years since the economy went into freefall and they made a number of decisions I think they regretted."

When contacted by the Chronicle First Essex simply said: "First Essex can confirm that the Traffic Commissioner has asked us to attend a Public Inquiry on Monday, June 30.

"We are not able to comment further until the Traffic Commissioner's decision and findings have been published."

However in response to yet another letter of complaint (see page 29) in the Chronicle, managing director of First Essex Adrian Jones wrote: "Our teams are working to improve punctuality and reliability.

"Punctuality based on start time departures is some 93 per cent – this has improved and will get better."

Essex County Council said they could not comment on an ongoing legal matter but would "note the outcome" of the inquiry.

A BRAINTREE mother-of-two was found dead at her home after taking a cocktail of prescribed drugs, alcohol and cocaine.

Mother-of-two Amy-Jane Stoakes, aged 24 at the time of her death, was out in Braintree drinking on the night of her death on February 16, 2013.

Miss Stoakes, of Falkland Court, had a history of self-harm, bipolar disorder and relationship difficulties with her ex-partner.

She was found with alcohol, cocaine, zolpidem, fluoxetine, propranolol, and clonazepam in her system but none was strong enough on its own according to pathologist Dr David Rouse.

Her family were left angered by the conduct of social services, which was not represented at the hearing at the Essex Coroner's Court in Chelmsford.

Her mother, Sarah Gardner, from Witham said: "She was much loved, it's been 18 months, it's been a very long time.

"We had come to hear from Essex social services because the children were left in her care when she was ill and are no longer with our family.

"We wanted to know how she could get a large supply of the drugs she was taking.

"We felt that all they did was pump her full of drugs."

Her partner at the time had returned home early from a night out and when Miss Stoakes had arrived home later, at roughly 5am, he was in bed in a child's bedroom.

At 5.45am she had sent a number of text messages to her ex-partner threatening to kill herself.

Then at 8am she was found dead by her partner lying on the hallway floor.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray recorded an open verdict because there was not enough evidence that the death was either an accident or suicide caused by "alcohol and mixed drug poisoning."

PLASTIC sheets and piping on the road is causing problems this morning on the A12 London-bound.

The Colchester Bypass is partially blocked around Junction 26 leading onto the A1124 as a result of the debris. 

An accident has also created a build-up of traffic on the northbound A131 in Great Leighs at the Deres Bridge Roundabout. 

The county's roads are looking clear other than those delays. 

A national survey of customer satisfaction with rail companies has revealed that Greater Anglia passengers are more satisfied with the service than this time last year. 

Of more than 2,000 people asked for the National Rail Passenger Survey on their overall satisfaction with the company 81% said they were satisfied, a 4% rise compared to 12 months ago. 

Conversely just 6% claimed to being dissatisfied with the Abellio franchise, or would deem the service poor. 

Specific areas of improvement included the upkeep and repair of the trains, space for passengers to sit or stand, the comfort of the seating areas and how well the firm copes with delays, which saw a significant 12% rise in satisfaction levels. 

However there were some areas where satisfaction notably dropped, in particular the upkeep of the station buildings themselves for which 15% of people asked deemed the standard poor. 

Two Ryanair planes crashed at Stansted Airport this morning (June 28), causing three hour delays and evacuations. 

At about 6.50am a Warsaw-bound Boeing 737-800 and a Franfurt Hahn Boeing that had just landed collided. 

 The crash damaged the wing tip of one plane and the tail cone of the other as one aircraft was merely being "pushed back". 

Essex Police were called to the scene to evacuate staff and crew and also breath test the two pilots. 

A spokesman said no one was injured. 

A passenger on the Warsaw-bound plane reportedly said on Twitter: "Huge loud crashing noise and totally felt the crush sitting at the back. "Thank God it only hit the wing as if it was the body of the plane it'd been apocalypse." 

Both planes can carry up to 189 passengers. 

A Stansted Airport spokesperson said: "We can confirm two aircraft were involved in a minor collision while on the ground at Stansted this morning. "Both planes suffered some damage but there were no reported injuries to passengers or crew.

 "The airport is operating as normal while an Air Accidents Investigation Branch investigation takes place. 

"Passengers from the outbound flight have been offloaded onto an alternative aircraft to continue their journey."

Cases heard by Chelmsford and Colchester magistrates from Thursday, May 1 to Thursday, May 8.

Sent to prison

NEVILLE PAYNE, 39, of no fixed address, was sent to prison for 12 weeks for stealing a bottle of wine from Tesco in Chelmsford on May 1.

He was given a prison sentence due to previous convictions for similar offences.

Suspended sentences

JOHN LODGE, 61, of Fifth Avenue, Chelmsford, was given a 28 day prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for calling Dorothy Lodge and leaving a message for his son on April 19 when a restraining order prohibiting him from doing so was in force.

He was fined £100 and must pay an £80 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and must not contact Dorothy Lodge or go within 100 metres of Holton St Mary village hall in Suffolk.

He was also given 28 days concurrent, suspended, for calling her when prohibited and fined a further £100; and a further 28 days concurrent, suspended, for committing the offence while subject to a conditional discharge order imposed on December 30 for 12 months.

GEORGE DUNCAN, 64, of Newlands Avenue, Great Bardfield, was given a 12 week consecutive prison sentence, suspended for two years, for harassing Margaret Mathews between February 13 and 26 at Great Bardfield.

He had shown disgraceful behaviour by being abusive and intimidating towards her neighbours while subject to a suspended sentence order. The defendant must attend appointments with a responsible officer and was given a restraining order not to contact or use abusive, insulting or threatening words in the presence of Margaret Matthews.

He must pay a £100 fine, an £80 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

EDWARD PAUL TURNER, 32, of Murchison Close, Chelmsford, was given an 18 month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for trespassing in the Saracens Head Hotel in Chelmsford High Street on May 6, and stealing three bottles of wine and three bottles of sour shots to the value of £303.

The defendant must have treatment for drug dependency for six months, participate in Building Skills for Recovery for 22 days, attend appointments with a responsible officer and pay an £80 victim surcharge.

Assault

FREYA LESLEY PARTRIDGE, 27, of Harrington Mead, Chelmsford, was given a 12 month conditional discharge after pleading guilty to assaulting Darren Hughes by beating him at Chelmsford on April 5.

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

MICHAEL FINDLAY, 68, of Medway, Burnham on Crouch, was given a six month conditional discharge for assaulting Galina Findlay by beating her at Burnham on Crouch on May 3.

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

ARTHUR SZUMSKI, 32, of Rose Hill, Braintree, was given a community order for assaulting Monika Oldzrez by beating her at Braintree on April 21.

The defendant must participate in Building Better Relationships for 29 days, attend appointments with a responsible officer, carry out 50 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a £60 surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

DAMIAN RAPACKI, 24, of Dorset Avenue, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting Thomas Fanger, Max Drumond-Smillie and Alex Reid by beating them at Chelmsford on April 12, acting together with Ariel Jackowski and Jacob Stanczyk.

He must carry out 120 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay £100 compensation, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

JACOB STANCZYK, 30, of Sandford Road, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting Thomas Fanger, Max Drumond-Smillie and Alex Reid by beating them at Chelmsford on April 12, acting together with Damian Rapacki and Ariel Jackowski.

He also pleaded guilty to willfully obstructing a police constable in the execution of his duty.

He was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay £100 compensation, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

ARIEL PIOTR JACKOWSKI , 27, of The Drive, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting Thomas Fanger, Max Drumond-Smillie and Alex Reid by beating them at Chelmsford on April 12, acting together with Jacob Stanczyk and Damian Rapachi.

He must carry out 120 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay £100 compensation, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

ALAN WILLIAM MANN, 51, of Forest Drive, Chelmsford, was fined £200 for assaulting Laura Mann by beating her at Chelmsford on January 31. He must pay a £15 victim surcharge and £620 costs to the CPS.

GERALDINE THERESA CRESSWELL, 60, of Speedwell Close, Witham, was given a 12 month conditional discharge for assaulting Rachel Tuck, Jade Ramage and Luke Woolmore by beating them at Witham on April 19.

She must pay £200 compensation and £85 costs to the CPS.

SUNNY OTABOR, 41, of Milbourn Crescent, Chelmsford, was given a community order for assaulting Edward Huber by beating him at Broomfield on October 22.

He must carry out 220 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, and pay £150 compensation plus £150 costs to the CPS.

Breach of order

RHYS LEE THOMPSON, 19, of Nottage Crescent, Braintree, was fined £30 for failing to comply with the requirements of a community made on September 18 by failing to attend various appointments, having only completed 12 hours 30 minutes of a 36 hour order. He must also pay £25 costs.

Criminal damage

KEVIN ANTHONY CRAIG, 43, of Pearl Drive, Braintree, was given a community order for damaging a front door to the value of £400 belonging to Tara Ferrando in Braintree on March 24.

The defendant must participate in Medium Alcohol Requirement Intervention (MARI) for 12 days, attend appointments with a responsible officer, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Drugs - possession

CHARLOTTE LUCY GRAVES, 22, of Widford Chase, Chelmsford, was given a conditional discharge for 12 months for being in possession of a quantity of cannabis, a class B drug, at Chelmsford on April 10.

She was ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge, forfeit the drugs and have them destroyed.

KELVIN ROLINTLANTLA TUTANI, 18, of Mill Court, Braintree, was fined £35 for possessing 2.6g of cannabis, a controlled Class B drug, at Chelmsford on April 10.

He must pay a £20 victim surcharge, £25 costs to the CPS, forfeit the drugs and have them destroyed.

Drugs - misuse

DWAYNE JASON DORSETT, 25, of Begonia Close, Chelmsford, was given a community order for failing to attend an initial assessment at Chelmsford on March 26 to establish whether he was dependant upon or misused cocaine, a Class A drug, after a sample had been taken from him.

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

Drunk and disorderly

MATTHEW ALLAN SIMSON, 24, of Sassoon Way, Maldon, was fined £145 for being drunk and disorderly in Maldon High Street on April 17. He must also pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Environmental protection

STACY DAVIS, 26, of Plains Field, Braintree, was fined £100 for failing to comply with Basildon Council by leaving five black sacks for collection when non recycling waste should be kept in grey bins.

She must also pay a £20 victim surcharge and costs of £448.50.

AARON JOHN MORRISON, 26, of Plains Field, Braintree, was fined £100 for leaving five black sacks of non recycling waste for collection at Braintree on December 11.

The waste should have been kept in grey bins according to Basildon Council, a waste collection authority.

Failed to comply

CHAD RUSSELL, 19, of Hazeldon Close, Little Waltham, was ordered to carry out an additional 20 hours of unpaid, supervised work, in addition to the requirements of a community order made on October 11 last year.

He had failed to comply with the order by not attending an appointment on April 8 and had shown unacceptable behaviour on April 15.

Fraud

SHARON PAULINE KILEY, 51, of Pelly Avenue, Witham, was given a community order for committing fraud by dishonestly failing to disclose to Braintree District Council that she was living as a married person at Witham between March 18, 2011 and May 18, 2013, with the intention of making a gain by claiming housing benefit, council tax benefit and income support.

She was placed under a curfew for six weeks with electronic monitoring and ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £450 costs.

Health & Safety

WILLIAM HENRY SAINT, no dob given, of Cherry Blossom Lane, Cold Norton, was given a four month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for installing a gas boiler between April 1 and 30 at Colchester, which he was not qualified to carry out under the Health & Safety at Work Act.

The defendant was self-employed and pleaded guilty to three counts of incompetence, lack of skill and qualification and incompetence.

This was the second time the defendant had carried out a similar installation and he had shown no remorse for causing a potentially dangerous situation.

He was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, and pay an £80 victim surcharge and £850 costs to the CPS. 

Indecent Act

PAULA ALINA TURNER, 37, of no fixed address, was given a 12 month conditional discharge for urinating in Parkway, Chelmsford, on April 25. She must pay a £15 victim surcharge.

Social Security offences

JAMES THORNHILL no dob given, of Halcyon Close, Witham, was given a conditional discharge for two years for failing to notify Colchester Borough Council that he had vacated an address for which he was claiming housing benefit between April 30, 2012 and August 12, 2013 at Witham.

He was ordered to pay costs of £470.

Theft – shoplifting

CHRISTOPHER JAMES MILLER, 26, of Julien Court Road, Braintree, was given a community order for stealing a pair of jeans valued at £18 from Peacocks in Braintree on April 9.

He was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months and pay a £60 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to attend Colchester Magistrates' Court on April 29, having been released on bail from Braintree Police Station on April 13 and committed the offence while subject to a six month conditional discharge order imposed on March 11 for shoplifting from Tesco and Sainsbury in Braintree during February.

APRIL AMANDA CHAPMAN, 18, of New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, was given a community order for stealing a TV valued at £199 from Tesco in Chelmsford on April 4; and various food items to the value of £749.69, also from Tesco on April 7. She was placed under a curfew for two months, and ordered to pay £100 compensation and a £60 victim surcharge.

JOSHUA KENNETH KIRKLEY, 36, of Savernake Road, Chelmsford, was given a six month conditional discharge for stealing beer valued at £15 from Tesco in Chelmsford on April 8.

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

REBECCA GAME, 29, of Bronte Road, Witham, was given a 12 month conditional discharge for two counts of stealing meat valued at £90 and £107 from Morrisons at Witham on March 21 and 22.

She was ordered to pay £90 compensation, a £15 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

SIMON DOUGLAS TAIT, 37, of no fixed address, was given a community order for stealing fragrances to the value of £55 from Boots in Chelmsford on May 6.

He must carry out 40 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, and pay a £60 victim surcharge.

Theft – other

JOHN SWALEY LAMB, 28, of Wood Corner Caravan Park, Woodham Walter, was given a community order for stealing nine alloy wheels, valued at £380 from Daryl Alsop at Braintree on April 15, together with Stephen Lamb.

He was ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months, pay a £60 victim surcharge and £45 costs to the CPS.

STEPHEN ASHLEY LAMB, 23, of Wood Corner Caravan Park, Woodham Walter, also pleaded guilty to taking nine alloy wheels, valued at £380, together with John Lamb, at Braintree on April 15 that belonged to Daryl Alsop.

He was fined £133 and must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £40 costs to the CPS.

DAVIDE SILVESTRE, 38, of no known address, was fined £240 for stealing an iPad and personal documents to the value of £700 belonging to Miguel Perez Cuesta Michu at Stansted on May 3.

He must pay a £24 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

Willful obstruction

CARL JAMES SMEE, 31, of Wardle Way, Chelmsford, was given a community order for willfully obstructing a police constable in the execution of her duty at Chelmsford on April 22.

The defendant must carry out 80 hours of unpaid, supervised work within the next 12 months and pay a £60 victim surcharge.

He also pleaded guilty to failing to provide a sample to ascertain whether a Class A drug was present in his body.

Drink-driving

SARAH LOUISE DAVISON, 40, of Chignal Road, Chignal Smealey, was disqualified from driving for 18 months for driving along Mashbury Road, Chelmsford, on April 15 after she had been drinking and was more than one and a half times over the limit.

Her breath contained 61 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

She was fined £425 and must pay a £43 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the CPS.

DONNA LOUISE RAMPLIN, 33, of Chestnut Way, Tiptree, was given a 12 month driving ban for driving along Station Road at Tiptree on March 2 after she had been drinking.

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

A LITTLE more than 15 years ago Claire Benson was looking for love after the collapse of a bad marriage and placed an advertisement in the Chronicle's 'Partners' Column'.

A couple of bad dates later the South Woodham Ferrers single mother-of-six received a call from HGV driver Colin and in just six months the pair were married.

On Saturday the couple marked 15 happy years of marriage with their large family gathered in the garden at Ormonds Crescent, proving this newspaper's old lonely hearts page did work.

"I had a bit of a bad marriage and coped on my own for a couple of years.

"Then I did a counselling skills course and we had to set ourselves a goal to achieve – mine was to get a husband and that gave me the confidence to put the ad in," said Claire, now 50.

"I had a few responses and met two other blokes and then I went on a Sunday lunchtime with Colin for a drink at the pub down the road – we were married within six months."

Recently divorced and looking for love, Colin, 49, had never responded to an advertisement before when he left a message for Claire in November 1998.

"I'm not very good on my own, so thought I would try my luck," he said, while cooking up a BBQ for his family on Saturday afternoon.

"It was the first advert I had responded to and the first woman I had met so I got really lucky – we just seemed to hit it off well."

Although when Colin, previously from Wickford, learned of Claire's sizeable brood he admitted he was slightly "taken aback".

"I remember there was one time when he brought them £5 of pick n' mix from Woolies, which was a real treat for them as I was a single mum, and it was gone within minutes," added Claire, who now works at Asda.

The pair credit their happy marriage with a love of family and a shared interest of taking caravanning holidays around the country.

"And the fact that he works night shifts and I work during the day, so we don't see each other very much," joked Claire.

Joining the couple in their back garden were children Oliver, Abigail, Ben, Tom, Emily and Zoe with their partners, and Claire's mother Ruby Witham.

"How many people would have the courage to take on six kids? Or who would be mad enough?" said Ruby, from Crainham.

"I couldn't ask for a better son-in-law, not if I had chosen him myself."

A total of £10 million is to be ploughed into fixing potholes in Essex after the government released £4.4million in funding to county highways chiefs.

Over the next few months, 36 road repair groups will be deployed across Essex – 20 more than usual. by the end of March next year - but County Hall has stopped short of saying which potholes will be fixed,

We asked Essex Chronicle Facebook readers to nominate the ones they thought were in in the most urgent need of fixing.

And you can see them in all our gallery below

Any others we've missed? Let us by commenting below, tweet us, or post them on our Facebook page

A CHELMSFORD fundraising committee is celebrating raising more than £500,000 over 30 years of fundraising for Cancer Research UK.

The ladies of the Chelmsford committee fundraise for cancer research by holding bridge nights, balls and summer luncheons and to date have raised a grand total of £512,168.

Margaret Chalmers, chair of Chelmsford local committee, said: "I would like to thank the generous nature of the people from Chelmsford, they've always been very supportive of the work that we do, and are the main reason that we have been so successful in making this amazing sum of money."

The most recent was held on Thursday, June 5 at Crix House in Hatfield Peverel, that saw more than 90 guests enjoy a freshly prepared lunch, stalls and a raffle to raise over £3,000.

Claire Marmion, Cancer Research UK's local fundraising manager for south Essex, said: "I would like to thank Chelmsford local committee for the fantastic amount they have raised and the massive contribution they have made to our vital work over the past years.

"They are an absolutely incredible group of ladies and it is a real honour to have them fundraising for us."

For further information call 08701 60 20 40 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org.uk

For what is thought to be the first time in the history of Armed Forces Day celebrations in Chelmsford, hundreds paraded down the city's high Street yesterday morning (June 28).

Air cadets, Royal British Legion members, the Royal Marines, the Royal Naval Association, the Paramilitary and the Essex Corps of Drums marched up and down Duke Street, scaling High Street, before congregating for a service and celebrations in Bell Meadow and Central Park.

Harry Hudson, 79, Chelmsford branch chairman of the Royal British Legion, said: "I felt really proud when I was marching down the high street while the public were stepping back and clapping.

"It was a fantastic feeling that we have done that for the first time and achieved so much with very little experience."

Meanwhile flags were raised and Armed Forces paraded in both the grounds of the Crix, in Hatfield Peverel, and at Stow Maries Aerodrome, near Purleigh.

For all the pictures, see here

An unemployed man will appear in court charged with possessing a locking knife following a police chase in Chelmsford high street.

Officers could be seen giving chase on foot outside McDonald's following reports of drug taking outside the Morrisons shortly after 5pm on Friday, June 27.

Eyewitness Adam Rhodes, who was busy promoting new Chelmsford gym Anytime Fitness with colleagues by the city sign at the time, described police chasing after two males.

"The police turned up and jumped out of their car and grabbed two boys," said the 26-year-old.

"One of them ran off and the second police officer chased after him and came back with him shortly after."

A police spokesman confirmed that one man, Danny Thompson, an unemployed 28-year-old of Chelmer Road, Chelmsford, was arrested and later charged with one count of possessing an offensive weapon, a locking knife, and one count of being in possession of a class B drug.

The spokesman said: "Police were contacted shortly after 5pm on Friday after reports of drug-taking outside Morrisons on Chelmsford high street.

"With the help of CCTV operators officers arrested Danny Thompson before charging him with one count of being in possession of a class B drug and one count of being in possession of a locking knife in a public place."

Thompson will appear at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, July 30.

This is the extent of the damage after a Boeing plane was pushed back into a fellow Ryanair jet at Stansted Airport yesterday (June 28).

Customers faced delays of up to three hours after a Warsaw-bound Boeing 737-800 and an aircraft from Frankfurt Hahn that had just landed collided in the parking area of Stansted at about 6.45am.

Passengers and staff were evacuated, all uninjured, while the two pilots were breath tested by Essex Police.

London-based PR worker Ren Ivaldi, a passenger on the Warsaw-bound flight, said on Twitter: "Huge loud crashing noise and totally felt the crush sitting at the back. 

"Thank God it only hit the wing as if it was the body of the plane it'd been apocalypse… The other plane's wing is half crushed. No electricity on plane. No toilets, no ventilation."

The airport is operating as normal while an Air Accidents Investigation Branch investigation takes place.