​In court: Who has been in court from Chelmsford, Braintree and...

The following criminal cases were heard at Essex magistrates' courts between May 18 and 24. Sent to prisonPAVEL GRATSJOV, 27, of no fixed address, was sent to prison for six weeks for stealing six tubs of baby formula worth £67.50 from My Local store in Chelmsford on February 14. He was also given four weeks concurrent for failing to attend Chelmsford Magistrates Court on April 19 and must pay an £80 victim surcharge.Suspended sentenceJOSEPH SAMUEL BROWNING, 26, of Trotters Field,...

Greater Anglia trains delayed by hour after 'smoke seen' at...

There are long delays on trains home to Essex after an earlier fire alert at Liverpool Street. Smoke was reported coming from the public toilets. While the London Fire Brigade attended, all lines were blocked in and out of the station. All trains are now running again, but there are delays of an hour if you're heading home after a night out in the capital. Delays are expected until the last train finishes its journey. Read more: Want to go on the world's longest slide in London?A Greater Anglia...

Witham and Braintree Brexit MPs react to EU Referendum results...

Now that the dust has settled following the 17 million strong 'Leave' result in the EU Referendum, the question raised is "what do we do now?"Minister of State for Employment and Witham MP Priti Patel has congratulated her constituents for delivering a strong vote to leave the EU. She said: "Our country has spoken and it has chosen to take back control of our democracy. "Hope has prevailed over fear and we now have a huge range of possibilities ahead of us as we embark on a...

When will Essex thunderstorms stop?

The rain has hammered down on Essex on Wednesday night (June 22). Thunder kept people awake as the storm drifted from London eastwards over our county, while the lightning has no doubt produced some brilliant photographs. But when will the stormy weather stop? According to the Essex Weather Centre, there is a further storm set to hit Essex between 4am – 7am and then once again on Thursday night (June 23). The Met Office has issued a weather warning until Friday morning. It reads:...

Essex cannabis farmer paid in heroin fails in bid to have...

A cannabis farmer jailed after drugs worth up to £325,000 were uncovered in a warehouse has failed in a bid to get his four-year jail term slashed.Drug addict Donald Lovesey was paid in heroin to help set up the industrial-scale cannabis factory in a unit at Springfield Industrial Estate, Burnham-on-Crouch.The south west-Londoner was one of three men caught by police after officers raided the unit on November 21, 2014, but two heart attacks meant the 52-year-old saw little profit from the...

Burnham man arrested on suspicion of possessing an axe and...

A man accused of being in possession of an axe was arrested in The Anchor pub in Burnham last night after police swarmed the town.The incident took place around the town's Quay and Burnham was flooded with vehicles, including a riot van according to eye-witnesses.A spokeswoman for Essex Police said: "A 25-year-old man from Burnham is in custody today, Tuesday, June 21, having been arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon, assaulting a police officers, resisting arrest and...

Maldon Festival announces complete line up ahead of fortnight of...

An actress whose credits include Downton Abbey and Sky's Stella, will be headlining the Maldon Festival which this year will be celebrating Shakespeare's 400th anniversary.DI Botcher, who has also appeared on Coronation Street and Little Britain, will be appearing as one of the speakers in Walton's Façade.Walton's Façade is a series of spoken poems accompanied by music, provided by New London Chamber Ensemble, and will take place at St Mary's Church, Maldon, on Saturday, July 2 and...

Joey Essex resits GCSE at Moulsham High School

Cameras followed Former The Only Way Is Essex star Joey Essex into a Chelmsford school to resit a GCSE.
Moulsham High School welcomed the reality TV star through their gates and helped him experience what it is like to study for GCSEs in today's secondary schools.
Joey Essex met with head teacher Mark Farmer for advice on the school's expectations regarding student behaviour and how he would be expected to conform, just like any other student.

His day involved sitting in on a range of GCSE...

Burnham drink driver Michael Smith banned after crashing into two...

A motorist who crashed his car into two properties, once while drink driving, has been banned from driving for two years. Michael Smith, 46, of Glendale Road, Burnham, appeared in Chelmsford Magistrates' Court on Friday for sentencing after pleading guilty to two counts of driving without due care and attention, one of driving whilst unfit through drink and one of failing to stop after an accident. The first crash took place on March 20 when Smith, who has been unable to work since he was 16 due...

Essex storm: the most spectacular photos

Essex is still recovering from the electrical light show and torrential rain in the powerful thunder storms on Sunday night (June 12).The thunder and lightning began at around 8.30pm until late into the evening causing localised flooding, power outages, and some spectacular views.A Met Office weather warning has been issued for Monday (June 13) warning that storms could affect the county and the whole of the east of England throughout the day and into the evening.Many of you sent us amazing...

Tractor towing tanker of slurry destroys North Fambridge shed

A tractor pulling a tanker full of slurry crashed into an outbuilding in the front garden of a family home.The incident happened about 10.30am this morning (June 9) when the tractor braked suddenly on a bend at the junction between Fambridge Road and Lower Burnham Road, in North Fambridge near Maldon, causing it to plough into a tanker shed.The outbuilding was almost completely destroyed and trees were knocked over.Essex Police closed the road for approximately three hours and re-directed...

Maldon District Council leader Miriam Lewis condemns "mindle...

Maldon District Council Leader Miriam Lewis has spoken out after several windows at the council offices were smashed in, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.The vandalism took place yesterday morning (June 6) and police have issued an appeal to help identify a man seen in the area riding on a bike with a sledgehammer.Cllr Lewis said: "At approximately 7.45am on June 6, a number of windows at council offices in Princes Road were smashed, causing damage which is estimated to reach a...

Who has been in court lately from Chelmsford, Maldon, Braintree,...

Here is a round up of court cases heard in April and May.Communication offencesJAN YOUNG, 35, of Western Road, Burnham on Crouch, was given a community order for sending a message at Southminster on March 11 that was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character. He must attend appointments with a responsible officer or participate in any activity required up to a maximum of 20 days, and was given a restraining order not to contact his victim in any way. He was fined...

Heybridge man Leslie Pennick denies historic rape of boy and...

A Heybridge man has denied raping one child and indecently assaulting another after appearing at court this week.Leslie Pennick, 65, is accused of sexually abusing two young boys over a period spanning ten years. He entered not guilty pleas for all eight of the alleged offences when he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on May 31 (Tuesday).Pennick, of Goldhanger Road, Heybridge, is charged with two counts of rape and three of indecent assault against a boy between 1982 and 1988 and three counts...