FROM a cocaine smuggler stashing millions of pounds worth of drugs inside frozen meat, to a man who shot a neighbour with a crossbow in a jealous rage, the courts have dealt with all manner of serious offences this year.
Crown courts in Chelmsford and Ipswich, alongside the magistrates’ courts in Chelmsford and Colchester, deal with offences committed across north Essex.
From the horrific to the downright strange – for example the self-proclaimed Jedi Master convicted of racially aggravated harassment – many varied cases appear on a daily basis.
'Jedi Master' appears in court to face racism charge
In February, a man who changed his name to Obi-Mark Kenobi appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court after hurling racist abuse at a man in Clacton.
FULL STORY: 'Jedi Master' Obi-Mark Kenobi hurled racist abuse in Xbox row
Kenobi, 49, who changed his name by deed poll as a tribute to the Star Wars character, denied racially aggravated assault, but admitted using racially aggravated words.
He was cleared of the assault charge at Colchester Magistrates’ Court following a day-long trial.
The court heard Mohammed Omar arrived at Kenobi’s flat in Holland Road, Clacton, with his wife after she had ordered an Xbox games console, and mistakenly sent it to her former address.
The court heard when Kenobi answered the door, he denied knowledge of the parcel.
When Mr Omar’s wife insisted that it had been delivered to his address, Kenobi began to shout obscenities with a “racist element”, the court heard.
The magistrates acknowledged Kenobi had been under the influence of alcohol, but accepted he had been affected by the delivery of numerous fines addressed to others and had uttered the racist words under “duress.”
He was ordered to pay £317 in fines and court costs.
Lorry driver smuggled £22 million of cocaine in frozen meat
In May, Dutch national Robert Tromp, 49, was jailed for 20 years after he was stopped at Harwich International Port on November 11, 2019.
FULL STORY: Lorry driver jailed for smuggling cocaine into Harwich port
Border Force officers conducted a search of his trailer, finding 280kg of cocaine stashed inside two pallets of frozen chicken meat.
At Chelmsford Crown Court, Recorder Richard Christie QC said he played a significant role in the importation of a “massive” quantity of cocaine, motivated by financial gain.
He said: “The drugs in this case were packed cleverly, within meat and concealed then within boxes and within the load that was being transported of low-value frozen chicken.”
Thug scarred woman for life with glass attack
That same month, thug James Booth, 29, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court for sentence after leaving a vulnerable partially-sighted woman scarred for life.
FULL STORY: Thug locked up for six years after scarring woman for life in glass attack
Booth, of Hakewill Way, Colchester, had drunk seven pints and two shots before carrying out the assault, which unfolded in a Colchester pub in September last year.
Philip Farr, prosecuting, said: “A witness described seeing him snatch a glass tumbler from the bar with his left hand and in the same movement swing it directly towards her cheek.
"The glass shattered on impact.”
Booth fled the pub, but was detained by other customers until the police arrived.
He latter admitted a charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Sentencing Booth to six years behind bars, Recorder William Clegg QC said Booth had carried out a “dreadful” attack on a “wholly innocent lady”.
“You scarred her for life, picking up a glass and forcing it into her face with such force that it shattered,” he said.
“The victim impact statement makes it clear what a long-lasting and serious impact your attack has had, which will continue I anticipate for many years to come."
Careless driver jailed for pub crash tragedy
In June, Chelmsford Crown Court heard the tragic case of victim 36-year-old Stuart McClung, who was killed after a careless driver ploughed his car through a pub's smoking area.
FULL STORY: Driver jailed for killing popular musician and injuring three in pub crash
The court heard 41-year-old Bandile Xozumti had driven to a party with his wife on the evening of the crash, in November 2019.
At around 12.50am, Xozumti drove onto Hythe Quay.
As he approached the pub, he failed to follow a gradual bend, instead driving onto the opposite side of the road before mounting the pavement.
His car ploughed through the outdoor smoking area of the Spinnaker pub, where Mr McClung was seated by the wall.
Also in the smoking area were Mr McClung’s partner Victoria Spall, Ian Winter and Carl Joyner.
All four were struck by the car and Mr McClung was forced through the wall, with the car coming to a halt about two metres from where the barman was standing.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Xozumti, of Waterside Lane, Colchester, admitted a charge of causing death by careless driving.
Judge Timothy Walker said: “Stuart McClung was plainly a very loved and well-liked person, he was described as having been a fun, loving individual, a joker and the life and soul of the party. He was also plainly a caring man.
“Victoria Spall has lost her partner and friend.
“She described Stuart as someone who is always striving to do good for others.
“His sister describes the news of the loss of her only sibling and her best friend as being the most stressful, emotional and saddest day of her life.”
Crossbow attacker shot man in jealous rage
Last month, crossbow attacker Delroy Mairah, 40, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court for sentence.
READ MORE: The crossbow thug who shot neighbour over false allegation
In September, he carried out a "revenge attack" in a car park in East Street, Colchester, accusing the victim of sleeping with his partner.
Speaking to the Gazette after the attack, the victim, who asked not to be named, said: “I was talking to one of the occupants at the temporary accommodation, the next thing I’m hearing shouting in my ear about ‘sleeping with my missus’ or something.
“He was on the other side of the van bonnet, with a crossbow in my face.”
He added: “I said ‘don’t shoot me with that thing’.
“The next thing he had shot me with a small bolt with a sharp point.
"The end of it penetrated my abdomen, it was kind of sitting on my skin slightly dragging down so I pulled it out and dropped it.
“A guy who lives in the same block of flats as me came out to my defence.
“I ran around the corner and I could hear the noise of the crossbow being cranked again, as if he was putting another bolt in."
Mairah admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a blade.
Judge Emma Peters sentenced Mairah, of East Street, Colchester, to three years and four months imprisonment.
She added: “As you strode across the courtyard, as you shot him with that crossbow, there was no mercy at all in your heart that I could see."
Pensioner had haul of 500 firearms
Earlier this month, a pensioner who was found with a haul of more than 500 firearms in homes in Copford and Colchester avoided an immediate prison term.
FULL STORY: Arsenal of guns seized from collector included rocket launchers
David Cole, 74, was arrested after officers seized hundreds of firearms from his properties in Hugh Dickson Road, Colchester, and London Road, Copford, in June 2019.
At a previous hearing at Ipswich Crown Court in May, the pensioner admitted possessing a shotgun without a certificate, possessing a firearm without a firearms certificate, two charges of possessing a prohibited smooth-bore gun, and possessing a knife in public.
The court heard he has a gun hoarding disorder and had the firearms “strewn” across his homes for about half a century.
Cole received a two-year suspended term of imprisonment and was ordered to complete a 30 day rehabilitation activity requirement.
His entire collection of firearms must be forfeited and he was ordered to pay £2,000 in court costs.
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