“He has a very good chance to turn it around. “He is a Christian, and he’s been studying that religion in prison. “There is some good there in that way.” Judge Samantha Cohen said: “You will be aware that Class A drugs are sold by organised criminal gangs and they bring with them violence and misery. “They damage people’s lives. “Another way the gangs work is by pressuring and coercing young people to become involved in their business and that’s what happened to you. “You yourself were a victim of an organised crime gang who coerced you and pressured you to becoming involved in the drugs supply enterprise.”
“He has a very good chance to turn it around. “He is a Christian, and he’s been studying that religion in prison. “There is some good there in that way.” Judge Samantha Cohen said: “You will be aware that Class A drugs are sold by organised criminal gangs and they bring with them violence and misery. “They damage people’s lives. “Another way the gangs work is by pressuring and coercing young people to become involved in their business and that’s what happened to you. “You yourself were a victim of an organised crime gang who coerced you and pressured you to becoming involved in the drugs supply enterprise.”
“He has a very good chance to turn it around. “He is a Christian, and he’s been studying that religion in prison. “There is some good there in that way.” Judge Samantha Cohen said: “You will be aware that Class A drugs are sold by organised criminal gangs and they bring with them violence and misery. “They damage people’s lives. “Another way the gangs work is by pressuring and coercing young people to become involved in their business and that’s what happened to you. “You yourself were a victim of an organised crime gang who coerced you and pressured you to becoming involved in the drugs supply enterprise.”
Marcus Piper, 27, of no fixed address, was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court yesterday. Piper had committed robberies, an attempted robbery and an aggravated burglary over the course of three months in 2020. His arrest followed the robbery of a taxi driver on Colchester Road in Southend on August 22. Another robbery took place on September 5 and an attempted robbery the day after on Palmerston Road in Westcliff. On September 12 he had used a knife to intimidate an employee at Station News, Shoebury, threatening to cut [his] throat and stab the victim. He then demanded money from the till and took three packets of cigars from behind the counter.