Convicted in Essex: 70 people, May to September 2026

Between 27 May and 24 September 2026, Essex Police published the conviction and sentence of 70 people in its "Court and Convicted" news. 55 were sent to prison, including 2 for life, and the fixed prison terms add up to about 327 years.

This is what the force chose to publish, not every conviction in Essex — most magistrates' court cases never get a news release. Each entry links to the Essex Police release it comes from. People awaiting sentence are not included.

Murder

Ellis Heather, 25, of Taplow (Maidenhead) — formerly — Life imprisonment, minimum term 28 years.
Convicted by a jury of fatally stabbing a 30-year-old man in a car park near Epping in June 2020; given a life sentence. Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), 17 July. Release

Emma Barnett, 36, of Debden (Loughton) — Life imprisonment, minimum term 21 years and 7 days.
Convicted after trial of murdering her 14-month-old son by giving him a fatal mixture of milk and medication in November 2024. Cambridge Crown Court, 5 June. Release

Attempted murder

Luke Warner, 35, of Witham — 12 years' prison.
Admitted attempting to murder a woman at his home in Witham in May 2026, stabbing her in the eye. Chelmsford Crown Court, 24 August. Release

Rape and sexual offences

Abdul Omer, 31, of Chelmsford — 12 years' prison.
Identified through CCTV and local enquiries after raping a woman he did not know in Southend in August 2025; admitted the offence. Basildon Crown Court, 26 August. Release

Alexandru Oprea, 34, of Leicester — Extended sentence 11 years 10 months: 8 years 10 months' prison plus 3 years' extended licence (in absence); sex offenders' register; restraining order.
Convicted by a jury in his absence after absconding from bail before trial; sentenced in absence and wanted by police. Chelmsford Crown Court, 19 June. Release

Charlie Goody, 24, of Boston, Lincolnshire — 8 years' prison; sex offenders' register indefinitely.
Convicted after trial of two rapes committed in March 2019; the survivor has spoken about her recovery. Chelmsford Crown Court, 23 July. Release

Joseph Pennycook, 22, of Leigh-on-Sea — 8 years' prison plus 2 years' extended licence; restraining order; sex offenders' register for life.
Convicted after trial of sexual and violent offences including strangulation and threats to kill against a young woman. Southend Crown Court, 23 June. Release

Gareth Keane, 39, of Stanmore — 5 years' prison (total).
Convicted after trial of one count of rape and one of voyeurism relating to a 2023 attack in Basildon; the survivor has spoken about the case. Basildon Crown Court, 23 July. Release

Child sexual abuse and indecent images

Scott Layfield, 52, of Leigh-on-Sea — 22 years' prison plus 6 years' extended licence; indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Convicted of 26 sexual offences against six girls between 2011 and 2021 and given an extended sentence. Basildon Crown Court, 30 July. Release

Nathan Behrens, 21, of Braintree — 16 years' prison plus 8 years' extended licence.
Admitted eight child sexual offences committed between 2022 and 2025 and received an extended sentence. Chelmsford Crown Court, 14 August. Release

Jack Kingsbury, 29, of Croydon — 15 years 8 months' prison plus 2 years' extended licence; SHPO; lifetime restraining orders; sex offenders' register.
Groomed teenage girls on Snapchat and travelled to meet and abuse them; convicted of 11 child sex offences after trial. Basildon Crown Court, 12 June. Release

Garry Turnidge, 71, of Lowestoft — 13 years' prison; sex offenders' register for life; indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Admitted 13 child sexual offences, mostly non-recent abuse from the 1970s and 1980s, after a survivor reported it in 2024. Basildon Crown Court, 15 June. Release

Mohammed Younas, 31, of Pitsea (Basildon) — 9 years 2 months' prison plus 3 years' extended licence; restraining order; Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Grabbed a young girl in Basildon and forced her towards bushes; DNA led to his arrest, and drugs were found at his home. Basildon Crown Court, 5 August. Release

Stuart Ross, 50, of Basildon — 9 years' prison plus 2 years' extended licence; 15-year SHPO; sex offenders' register for life.
Arranged online to travel to abuse young children, not knowing the 'mother' was an undercover officer; convicted after trial. Basildon Crown Court, 13 August. Release

Ian Moore, 74, of Clacton — 20 months suspended for 2 years; 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order; £500 fine, £100 costs, 40 RAR days, device forfeiture.
Clacton man found with over 14,000 categorised indecent images of children among millions of files received a suspended sentence and a 10-year SHPO. Colchester Magistrates' Court, 16 September. Release

Serious violence

Donny Archer, 27, of Tiptree — 18 years' prison.
One of three men convicted over a shooting at a van in Crays Hill; also took part in the burglary where the shotguns were stolen. Chelmsford Crown Court, 2 July. Release

Johnny Smith, 20, of Crays Hill — 13 years 6 months' prison.
One of three men who fired shots at a van in Crays Hill as part of a feud, narrowly missing the driver, using stolen shotguns and a stolen car. Chelmsford Crown Court, 2 July. Release

Nelson Buckland, 21, of Romford — 12 years 6 months' prison.
One of three men convicted over a shooting at a van in Crays Hill. Chelmsford Crown Court, 2 July. Release

Josh Jerrum, 33, of Tilbury — 9 years' prison (attempted robbery), 16 months concurrent (GBH), 12 months concurrent (burglary).
Forced his way into a Tilbury home demanding valuables and struck the occupant with a lamp, causing a serious head injury; also admitted a separate shop burglary. Basildon Crown Court. Release

Johnny Boy Doherty, 26, of Feltham — 8 years 3 months' prison; restraining order.
One of three masked men who posed as officials to force entry to an elderly couple's home, threatening them and taking about £100,000 in cash and jewellery. Release

Danny Mitchell, 20, of Harlow — Extended sentence: 8 years' prison plus 4 years' extended licence (dangerous offender).
Broke into an elderly woman's Harlow home at night, threatened her with a knife and took bank cards; assaulted two officers on arrest while on licence. Chelmsford Crown Court, 13 August. Release

Oliver Champion, 20, of Westcliff — 7 years 6 months' prison.
Chased and repeatedly stabbed a man in Westcliff in November 2025, leaving him with life-changing injuries, then tried to evade arrest. Basildon Crown Court, 17 July. Release

Thomas Summers, 26, of Southend — 5 years' prison.
Drove a car at a man lying in the road after he had been rammed and thrown from his vehicle in Basildon. Basildon Crown Court, 29 May. Release

Lewie Wilson, 18, of Epping — 4 years' detention/prison (total).
Held a teenage boy against his will around Harlow and later stabbed a man who tried to intervene, leaving him with life-threatening injuries. Chelmsford Crown Court, 11 September. Release

Hollie Dance, 50, of Southend — 4 years' prison.
Rammed a man's car during a chase into Basildon, causing him to crash and be thrown from the vehicle. Basildon Crown Court, 29 May. Release

Mohammed Fatah, 29, of Westcliff — 2 years 9 months' prison.
Took part in a weapons fight in Southend High Street in February 2025 that left two men seriously injured. Basildon Crown Court, 24 July. Release

Kisra Karime, 26, of Southend — 2 years 6 months' prison.
Took part in a weapons fight in Southend High Street in February 2025 that left two men seriously injured. Basildon Crown Court, 24 July. Release

Thomas Suliman, 39, of London — 25 months' prison.
While experiencing psychosis, took a knife from a Clacton supermarket shelf and stabbed a shopper before being Tasered by an officer. Chelmsford Crown Court, 17 July. Release

Riley Dedman, 18, of Harlow — 7-month community order with 70 hours' unpaid work.
Joined the group holding a teenage boy in Harlow town centre and was convicted of kidnap after trial. Chelmsford Crown Court, 11 September. Release

David Dutton, 18, of North Weald — 8 months suspended for 18 months, 70 hours' unpaid work.
Helped take a kidnapped teenager from Harlow by car and was convicted of kidnap after trial. Chelmsford Crown Court, 11 September. Release

Other violence and harassment

Nathan Phillips, 35 — 3 years' prison.
Admitted a six-year pattern of coercive control and abuse against a former partner, who came forward after seeing coverage of an earlier case against him. Chelmsford Crown Court, 26 June. Release

Lee Gower, 44, of North Weald — 2 years 9 months' prison.
Found guilty by a jury of violent disorder outside the Bell Hotel, Epping, in 2025. Chelmsford Crown Court. Release

Shaun Thompson, 38, of Epping — 2 years 7 months' prison.
Admitted violent disorder outside the Bell Hotel, Epping, in 2025. Chelmsford Crown Court, 15 June. Release

Philip Curson, 54, of Upminster — 27 months' prison.
Convicted after trial of violent disorder at the July 2025 Epping protests, including kicking a police officer. Chelmsford Crown Court, 14 August. Release

Stephen Bear, 36, of Walthamstow — 16 months' prison; new indefinite restraining order.
Posted degrading social-media content about the woman a 2023 restraining order protected, breaching that order. Chelmsford Crown Court, 6 August. Release

Ali Maulood, 37, of Westcliff — 1 year 2 months' prison.
Admitted affray over his part in a fight in Southend High Street in February 2025. Basildon Crown Court, 24 July. Release

Lazarus Willmott, 59, of Harlow — 6 weeks' prison.
Made six abusive 999 calls in under half an hour and racially abused an officer after arrest; jailed the next day. Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, 24 August. Release

Luke Fleming, 22, of Buckhurst Hill — suspended sentence (length not stated).
Pleaded guilty to violent disorder in Epping at the start of his trial in March 2026. Chelmsford Crown Court. Release

Oscar Champion, 18 — 18-month community order, 50 hours' unpaid work, 20 RAR days.
Joined his brother in chasing and attacking a man in Westcliff; admitted ABH. Basildon Crown Court, 17 July. Release

Dylan Russell, 29, of Harlow — 21 months suspended for 2 years.
After being stopped for dangerous driving in Harlow in January 2024, doused an officer in petrol and threatened officers with a lit blowtorch. Chelmsford Crown Court, 26 June. Release

Paul Slasor, 36, of Colchester — 3-year football banning order; costs and surcharge; drugs forfeited.
Admitted a public order offence and cocaine possession after disturbances at a Colchester United away game. Bromley Magistrates' Court, 26 May. Release

Ricky Pygott, 40, of Colchester — 3-year football banning order; costs and surcharge.
Admitted a public order offence after disturbances at a Colchester United away game. Bromley Magistrates' Court, 26 May. Release

Drugs

Max Matthews, 31, of London — 12 years 6 months' prison.
Head of an EncroChat-exposed crime group moving large quantities of drugs and cash in 2020; absconded to Dubai and was extradited in 2026. Release

Shyeem Chisholm, 26 — 5 years 7 months' prison.
Repeat drug dealer who tried to use a vulnerable man's Loughton flat to store and sell drugs (cuckooing); the victim alerted police. Chelmsford Crown Court, 11 August. Release

William England, 71, of Colchester — 5 years 5 months' prison.
Courier who ferried cocaine and cash for the network's leader; convicted after trial. Release

Ryan Spencer-Droy, 38 — 4 years 4 months' prison.
Leader of the 'Teddy' cocaine line in Basildon, sourcing kilogram quantities from abroad. Release

Luke Clements, 36, of South Ockendon — 3 years 6 months' prison.
Ran a drugs line in Thurrock and directed a 16-year-old boy to sell drugs for him. Basildon Crown Court, 20 July. Release

Wayne Powell, 56, of Chelmsford — 3 years 4 months' prison.
Officers found £50,000 cash, designer goods and large quantities of Class A, B and C drugs at his flat in Chelmsford. Chelmsford Crown Court, 12 August. Release

Cristian Mihai, 26, of Chelmsford — 3 years' prison; forfeiture of £180 cash and phone; £228 surcharge.
Stopped in a car in Braintree with wraps of cocaine hidden inside a roll-on deodorant, plus cash and a dealing phone. Chelmsford Crown Court. Release

Lorenc Lata, 19, of Witham — 3 years' detention in a young offender institution; forfeiture of £3,700, drugs and phones; £228 surcharge.
Found living at a Witham house with 1.8kg of cocaine worth up to £147,000, cannabis and cash; described as a trusted member of the drug line. Chelmsford Crown Court, 26 May. Release

Anthony Search, 43, of Basildon — 32 months' prison.
Stopped on an e-bike in Basildon carrying cocaine wraps; more wraps, cannabis, cash and dealing kit were found at his home. Basildon Crown Court, 24 July. Release

Rishik Parmar, 21, of Croydon — 2 years 6 months' prison.
Ran a county drugs line in Colchester and was found with wraps of Class A drugs and cash; also identified as the man who threatened a teenager with a knife in the city centre. Ipswich Crown Court, 13 July. Release

Stephanie Andrews, 41, of Basildon — 2 years 2 months' prison.
Used her Basildon home as the hub for the drug line and held the line phone. Release

Klavi Likcani, 21 — 2 years' prison.
Fled officers on an e-bike through Southend streets at high speed, discarding drugs, before being caught and arrested. Basildon Crown Court, 8 September. Release

Tyler Flynn, 20, of Basildon — 2 years suspended for 2 years, with unpaid work and rehabilitation activity requirements.
Suspected county-lines line holder caught fleeing a warrant with cash and Class A wraps; a knife, machete and baseball bat were also found at the address. Basildon Crown Court, 18 September. Release

Scott Cannon, 32 — 20 months suspended for 2 years.
Street runner for the drug line, caught in Basildon with cocaine wraps and nearly £1,000. Release

Theft, shoplifting and burglary

Caner Yakut, 18 — 54 months' prison (24 burglaries taken into consideration).
Arrested hiding behind a Southend seafront café after a pursuit in a stolen Golf; linked to a series of night-time key burglaries and car thefts. Basildon Crown Court, 20 July. Release

Callum Lackenby, 18 — 3 years' prison (27 offences taken into consideration).
Part of a pair stealing car keys from homes at night and driving off in high-value cars across six counties; caught by a police dog after a crash near Billericay. Southend Crown Court, 3 August. Release

Scott Butcher, 39, of Colchester — 20 weeks' prison; CBO extended to all Co-op stores in England and Wales for 3 years; £154 surcharge.
Stole about £500 of goods from Co-op and Sainsbury's stores in Colchester in March 2026 while banned from Co-ops under a CBO. Ipswich Crown Court, 24 June. Release

Latoyah Williams, 37, of Enfield — 6 weeks suspended for 12 months, 35 RAR days; 3-year Criminal Behaviour Order (Lakeside ban).
Stole more than £2,500 of goods from Lakeside and other retail parks in 2025; given a suspended sentence and a three-year ban from Lakeside. Chelmsford Crown Court, 4 September. Release

Ryan Hammond, 39, of Chelmsford — Criminal Behaviour Order, 2 years (banned from Co-op, Tesco and M&S stores in Essex; must not be intoxicated in Chelmsford city centre); required to engage with drug and alcohol support.
Targeted Co-op, Tesco and M&S stores in Chelmsford over two weeks in July; admitted seven thefts and was given a two-year CBO. Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, 1 August. Release

Driving

Joseph Wicks, 27, of Colchester — 4 years 6 months' prison; disqualified from driving 2 years 6 months.
Drove dangerously around Colchester and mounted a pavement striking three people outside a nightclub; separately stalked and harassed a woman. Ipswich Crown Court, 31 July. Release

Conner Phillips, 22, of Witham — 2 years' prison; disqualified 3 years plus extended retest.
Drove at up to 61mph in 30mph streets in Witham, on the wrong side of the road and through a red light, hitting a pedestrian who spent two weeks in a coma. Chelmsford Crown Court. Release

Kurtis Walters, 26, of Benfleet — 20 months' prison; disqualified 2 years 10 months plus extended retest.
Filmed his speedometer reaching 110mph on a 50mph road in Southend moments before crashing into three council workers on ride-on mowers. Basildon Crown Court, 16 July. Release

Ryan Bowden, 28 — 1 year's prison.
Led police on a pursuit through Southend in a van, reversing into and repeatedly driving at a police car, injuring two officers. Basildon Crown Court, 21 July. Release

John Higley, 47, of Basildon — Disqualified from driving 50 months, extended retest, £120 fine, costs, rehabilitation activity requirement.
Driver found over three times the alcohol limit after abandoning a crashed car across a road in Basildon in March 2024 was banned for over four years. Basildon Magistrates' Court, 18 September. Release

Ryan Martin, 21, of Stanway (Colchester) — 24 weeks suspended for 12 months; 100 hours' unpaid work; disqualified 18 months plus extended retest.
Filmed himself riding a motorcycle at up to 102mph on Colchester roads with 30-40mph limits. Colchester Magistrates' Court, 21 July. Release

William Cross, 37 — 6 months suspended for 18 months; disqualified 71 months; 30 RAR days; cocaine forfeited.
Caught driving in Clacton while already disqualified, nearly three times the breath-alcohol limit, uninsured and with cocaine. Colchester Magistrates' Court, 13 July. Release

Firearms and other offences

Tony Powell, 44, of London — Extended sentence: 6 years' prison plus 4 years' extended licence (dangerous offender).
Stopped on the A12 in a stolen car on false plates with a loaded handgun in the door pocket; previously jailed over cash-in-transit robberies. Chelmsford Crown Court, 2 June. Release

Noble Nwokocha, 24 — 4 years 8 months' prison.
Drill artist on licence for a 2023 county-lines conviction was found with a converted revolver in his coat at a probation appointment in Laindon. Southend Crown Court, 6 August. Release

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Source: Essex Police news, Court and Convicted, 27 May – 24 September 2026. Ages and home towns are as given in each release.