THE crown courts in Essex have been on full throttle once again this week. Serious crimes have been dealt with by defendants being sentenced, and trials of major alleged crimes have been playing out as well. Here is a rundown of the most serious cases heard at Basildon and Chelmsford Crown Courts this week.
Gang tried to kill man by setting him on fire
Southchurch Avenue Basildon Crown Court heard that four people allegedly tried to murder the man in Southchurch Avenue, Southend on October 30, 2019. Shocking police body cam footage showed PC Rebecca Halifax attending an emergency call and finding the man with severe burns across his body sat in a bedroom.
A MAN suffered burns to 60 per cent of his body after a gang set him on fire with petrol, a court heard. Basildon Crown Court heard that four people allegedly tried to murder the man in Southchurch Avenue, Southend on October 30, 2019. Shocking police body cam footage showed PC Rebecca Halifax attending an emergency call and finding the man with severe burns across his body sat in a bedroom. Alan Archer, 33, of Fairmead Avenue, Westcliff, Paul Pruns, 53, of York Road, Southend, Ben Ince, 41, of no fixed address, and Jane Reilly, 53, of Trowbridge Road, Harold Hill, deny attempted murder. A jury was told the attack was carried out in the early hours of the morning, with the alleged victim returning to his home at 1.34am.
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Wednesday, March 3
At 10:34 PM, police made a traffic stop on Trowbridge Road that led to multiple charges including drunk driving. An officer on patrol spotted a black 2014 Ford F-250 pickup truck on Shore Road. The driver of the truck drifted into the center of the road near Oak Grove Cemetery. When the truck reached Trowbridge Road, the driver went through a stop sign, drove up on the sidewalk near the public schools and then back into the road. Police stopped the truck and identified the driver as Joseph Vanderstaay, 58, from Wareham. Mr. Vanderstaay showed obvious signs of intoxication, police said, and failed field sobriety tests. After being stopped, Mr. Vanderstaay complained of pain. Bourne firefighters came to the scene and took him to a local hospital. Police cited him for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of liquor, a marked lanes violation, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and failure to stop or yield. He will be issues a summons to Falmouth District C
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
The mystery organiser of an illegal music event held during lockdown, who ran away when officers went to shut down the event, has been identified and is now facing a £10,000 fine.
Officers were called to Trowbridge Road, Hackney at 03:00hrs on Sunday 7 February after reports of anti-social behaviour from people in the vicinity of a series of shipping containers.
Members of the public reported hearing loud music and seeing more than 30 people gathered near Trowbridge Gardens.
On arrival, police found the dangerous event underway and a crowd of people around two stacked shipping containers, a barefaced breach of Covid regulations.