BBC Local Live: Essex

Summary

Updates for Friday, 18 November 2016
BBC Children in Need day: How is the money helping Essex youngsters?
Benefits cap could lead to more people coming to the county, Tendring District Council says
Maldon MP calls FIFA poppy row 'absurd'

Live Reporting

Patrick Byrne

Essex courts live: Driver disqualified for six months in his absencepublished at 15:59 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
The final case has just been heard here in court one and the defendant was not here to hear it.
Andrew Hendry, of Roxwell in Chelmsford, was previously found guilty of failing to identify the driver of a Kia car in March this year.
He was fined £660 and disqualified from driving for six months.
The magistrate who sentenced him said he hoped Hendry remembers to open his post.
Father talks about how school bus bullying led to his son's suicidepublished at 15:51 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
As part of nationwide activity taking place during Anti-Bullying Week, campaigner Paul Vodden from Saffron Walden, has spoken about his son who took his own life.
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He has also announced a new research project in collaboration with York St John University, which will explore the effectiveness of CCTV on school buses, as a tool to help combat bullying.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the death of his son, Ben, who was 11-years-old when he committed suicide in 2006 after being repeatedly bullied on the school bus in Sussex.
"No child should have to go through what Ben did," Mr Vodden said.
"We have campaigned in his memory to try and ensure that more support is in place to help prevent school bus bullying."
Essex courts live: Woman accused of theft wins appeal for Legal Aidpublished at 15:28 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Magistrates at Colchester have had to decide on a Legal Aid appeal.
The case involves a woman with a history of offending who is accused of theft.
She applied for Legal Aid on the grounds she was at risk of prison if the case went against her, but her request was turned down.
Magistrates here agree she is likely to go to jail if she is found guilty of the theft and have upheld the appeal.
Ambulance service reports 19% increase in assaultspublished at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Figures from the East of England Ambulance Service, external show there's been a 19% increase in reported violence, external against staff, in the year 2015-16.
The service says there were 232 physical assaults, compared to 195 in 2014-15, with criminal sanctions brought against 66 people.
Chief executive Robert Morton said: "It is appalling that some people are violent towards our staff when they are trying to help and provide the best possible care to patients.
"One assault against a colleague is one too many."
Essex courts live: Drunk homeless man fined for swearing at policepublished at 15:14 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
The first case this afternoon involves a homeless man who swore at police officers in Colchester town centre after inhaling lighter fuel.
The case was meant to be heard earlier, but the defendant did not initially turn up to court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The court heard how Paul Scott, 44, was at "rock bottom" before the episode on the 19 October.
He had been living in a tent wherever he could pitch it around Colchester, but one night he was woken by three men, hauled from the tent, beaten up and his shelter was slashed, the court heard.
Magistrates fined him £30 for being drunk and disorderly and he was told to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £40 costs.
Essex courts live: Violent ex-partner gets suspended eight-week jail sentencepublished at 14:53 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Before Colchester Magistrates broke for lunch, we mentioned a domestic violence case.
The accused man in the dock, the subject of a psychiatric report considered by the magistrates, had admitted kicking and biting his former partner in Braintree.
He was ordered to pay her compensation of £200 and was given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
A restraining order for 18 months was also imposed.
Violent burglary accused denies being involved in shooting of millionairepublished at 14:37 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Gareth George
BBC Look East
As well as spending the day at Colchester Magistrates' Court, the BBC is also covering a high profile shooting trial...
A man accused of a violent burglary in Essex in which a millionaire businessman was shot in the leg has told a jury he was forced to do it.
Christopher Bergin, 27, of Sible Hedingham told Chelmsford Crown Court that he was outside the house in the village near Halstead when Timothy Mardon was gunned down.
He said: "I weren't there when the bloke was shot. I was outside. I weren't there." He had earlier admitted breaking in to the mansion.
Prosecuting lawyer Richard Christie QC said Mr Bergin (pictured centre) was a willing participant in the raid.
Three men broke into Timothy Mardon's home in Sible Hedingham, on 6 February falsely thinking Mr Mardon was a drug dealer.
Mr Bergin is on trial alongside Kalebh Shreeve, 24, of Sible Headingham (pictured right) and Charlie Simms, 23, of Great Yeldham.
All deny aggravated burglary, wounding with intent, possessing a firearm and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life.
Mr Simms also denies a charge of attempted murder.
Keeping track of constable's last day at work...published at 14:29 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
PC Paul Gridley's tour of his old stamping grounds in Essex continues on his last day before he leaves the force..
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Weather: Sunny spells and showerspublished at 14:22 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
BBC Weather Watchers
Sunny spells and blustery showers through the afternoon, which will be heavy with a risk of hail and thunder after a morning of dramatic skies as our BBC Weather Watchers pictures show.
Image source, ebb&flow
Image source, Shantelle
Image source, carrot top
It will be cold overnight with clear spells and just the odd shower at times.
The breeze will also ease, which will allow a frost to form in some rural parts as the temperature dips to a minimum 3C (37F).
More details on BBC Weather.
Youth club says Children in Need has funded a 'crucial' amenitypublished at 14:19 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Stuart Woodward
BBC Essex
A youth club established in an Essex town is proving a success at keeping "bored" youngsters off the streets and directing their energies in to sports, cooking, music, dance and other activities.
Media caption,
Purfleet Youth Club say Children in Need funded 'crucial' amenity
Purfleet Youth Club, external was established three years ago with funding from the Children in Need Appeal and is said to be thriving.
There are separate sessions for children aged between eight and 12 and from 13 to 19 years old.
The club is helping to keep children occupied in useful activities and away from places where they could be vulnerable, organisers said.
The Children in Need funding has helped the youth club to develop and it is "crucial", to the well-being of the community, organisers added.
Essex courts live: When hearing breaks helped lawyers and staff to catch uppublished at 13:48 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
When I covered the courts in the 2000s, those periods when magistrates went out to deliberate on sentences would tend to be times when lawyers and court staff would have a quick chat and a catch up.
Today, the courtroom is pretty much silent except for the tapping of computer keys and the occasional whirring of a printer.
Whether it is a sign of greater workload or not, I cannot say.
But the Colchester Magistrates' courtrooms have adjourned for lunch so I will be back later - when JPs and staff return replenished.
Early career highlight for policeman was having patrol car rammedpublished at 13:27 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Helen Burchell
BBC News
A police officer who joined the Essex force in October 1986 aged 18 is reliving the highlights of his career on his last day at work.
PC Paul Gridley, 48, known as "Gridders", said he was inspired to join the police by his uncle Don.
Image source, Essex Police
"Don spent more than 40 years with the Metropolitan Police Service as a flying Squad Scenes of Crime officer and I always looked up to him. I think it was his influence that led me to consider the police as a career from a young age," he said.
After completing his training at a training centre in Ashford, Kent, Paul was posted to Rayleigh police station where most of his duties included foot or cycle patrol.
He moved onto a shift at Leigh-on-Sea just after the hurricane of 1987 which devastated many seafront homes and buildings.
"Here I made my new and lifelong friends as well as being knocked over by a stolen car that had been pursued all the way from Maldon and then rammed our police car!" he said.
Essex Police is tweeting Gridders' movements on his final day:
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Essex courts live: JPs consider psychiatric reports in domestic abuse casepublished at 13:17 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Now hearing the case of a man accused of domestic violence against his former partner.
Image source, Getty Images
Magistrates are currently reading through a lengthy mental health report having heard from the probation service.
It is a reminder that many cases going through our courts involve many different organisations, and not just the police.
Essex courts live: Drug haul accused granted bail after 'longest' discussionpublished at 12:48 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Surprisingly, perhaps, the case which has taken the longest to hear so far today is one which the magistrates will not be dealing with.
It relates to the seizure of class A drugs on Tuesday night at Harwich with an estimated street value of £300,000.
While the case will ultimately be dealt with by a judge at the crown court, it falls to the justices here at the lower court to decide what happens to the accused in the meantime.
They left the courtroom to deliberate whether to let the accused, a foreign national whose family lives in the UK, bail or whether to remand him in custody.
They returned eventually and granted him bail after a 50-minute hearing.
Met Office issue wind warningpublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
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Essex courts live: Sentencing of young offender delayed by prison officers' protestpublished at 12:36 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
We mentioned earlier about cases delayed because of the prison officers' action on Tuesday.
David Kryszcuk, of St Botolph's Street in Colchester, would have been detained in a young offenders institution on Tuesday.
However, prisons were not able to take in new offenders that day, the court here has heard.
Kryszcuk drove whilst disqualified on 11 July in a manner which put other road users in peril.
He then ran off to evade police capture following a chase.
He was eventually arrested on 13 October. The 18-year-old has now been sentenced to 12 weeks in a young offenders institution.
Essex courts live: Arrest warrant issued for 'no show' defendantpublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
The magistrates here at Colchester, external have just vented their frustration at defendants not turning up to court, thereby delaying proceedings.
A lawyer for the defendant involved said her client had very serious mental health issues and was therefore not well enough to appear at court.
The magistrates turned down a request to adjourn the case to a later date and instead issued a warrant for the defendant's arrest.
Essex courts live: Two friends of defendant ordered out of court for 'disruptive smiling'published at 11:49 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
Two friends of a defendant have just been ordered out of the Colchester Magistrates' courtroom for disruption.
They and the defendant were ignoring the proceedings and smiling to one another.
In the news: Teenager arrested after crash horrorpublished at 11:44 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Colchester Gazette
Here is the front page of today's Gazette, external:
Image source, Essex Gazette
Essex courts live: Nappy run case costs man £305published at 11:33 Greenwich Mean Time 17 November 2016
Laurence Cawley
BBC News
The second case heard in front of magistrates took just 15 minutes to deal with.
Jamie Harvey, 24, of Princes Street in Harwich, took his partner's Ford Fiesta without her permission and was stopped by police.
The court heard he had driven the car without permission or insurance in order to "do something nice" for his partner - in this case buy nappies for their baby.
He was fined £190, told to pay £85 in costs and £30 victim surcharge.