DOZENS of cases have been before the courts in Essex this week.

The cases are slowly returning to normal at Basildon Crown Court following the closure of courts during the Covid-19 lockdown in the UK.

With many criminals getting jailed, there are plenty who escape custody to serve their sentence in the community.

Here is a run down of some of the cases before the court this week.

Paul Campbell

Southend man Paul Campbell committed "nasty" acts of blackmail against a 16-year-old girl.

The 25-year-old of Gordon Place, Southend flirted with the girl online in 2014 and she sent him some photos where she was not wearing a top.

However, Campbell then created a new online profile with a fake name, and sent the photos back to the girl, telling her if she did not send more he would forward the ones he had onto her family and friends.

He did the same thing again three years later in 2017, after a police investigation in Scotland went nowhere and the girl had moved on.

However, she called the police again, and this time, they tracked him down.

He was given 250 hours of unpaid work and must pay the girl £6,000 compensation.

Jay Hunt

Cannabis user Jay Hunt tried to hide his illegal crop by telling his landlords he was in hospital in Cornwall.

In fact, the Southend man was at his home address and growing around 60 plants to give him a year's supply of the drug, which he was using to lessen the effect of chronic back pain.

He told the court he was sorry for his actions, saying he "knew it was wrong".

He was given a four month suspended prison sentence.

Natalie Wagstaff

Natalie Wagstaff defrauded Castle Point Council out of £120,000 when she rented out a house to other tenants that was owned by the council.

Wagstaff had tried to buy the home on Link Road, Canvey at a discount from the council and claimed she still lived there.

However, she was actually residing somewhere else while taking rent from other people for using it.

Had her deception been successful she would have bought the house with an £80,000 discount.

Wagstaff was given a two-year suspended sentence, 20 hours of rehabilitation and 100 hours of unpaid work.

Adam Edwards

Adam Edwards, 35, who was a regular drug user, was at home with his parents when an argument started over Edwards’ use of drugs.

The argument became so heated that Edwards grabbed the keys to his father’s Mercedes and stole it, driving away from the family home.

Edwards’ father then called the police. Officers were dispatched to the scene and located Edwards in the car near the home - but he sped off.

But he was caught by police, but not before driving thr wrong way along many roads in Southend in February this year, nearly causing several crashes.

He was given a suspended prison sentence on Thursday and 120 hours of unpaid work.

Allessandro Barry

A THUG who thought he had Covid-19 spat at a police officer and laughed in his face.

Allessandro Berry has been jailed for four months for assaulting an emergency worker in Southend.

The 22-year-old of Poplar High Street, London, has been sent to prison for four months after he appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on July 20.

The court heard that Berry had a "flagrant" disregard for people and their property, and that he spat at police officer Sean Sheppard before throwing water over him that he had drunk from, knowing that he might be infected with the virus.

The incident, which happened in Southend on May 5, also saw him laugh as he did so.

Domantas Selius 

A MAN has admitted attacking another man and destroying household objects in Southend.

Domantas Selius, 34, of Travers Way, Basildon, has admitted causing actual bodily harm and assault to a man in Southend on May 27 this year.

Selius appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on July 15 where he admitted the charges and criminal damage.

He will be sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on August 12.

Michael Nyathi 

A FORMER drug dealer fled police before mounting a pavement and crashing into a garden wall.

Michael Nyathi has been spared jail after he was found with multiple wraps of cocaine and heroin following a police chase in Southend.

The 20-year-old was in a suspected stolen car in Chichester Road at 2.13am on September 25, 2018, which attracted the attention of a police patrol car.

The officers signalled for the car to stop, but it accelerated away.

At the end of the road was a stationary ambulance which was blocking the car’s path, so it mounted the kerb in an effort to escape.

However, the car crashed into a resident’s garden wall and Nyathi along with another man fled the scene.

Nyathi was caught by officers shortly afterwards in Princes Street and smelt cannabis on him.

They found Nyathi had 12 wraps of cocaine and ten wraps of heroin, which weight 2.69 grams, and he was arrested for possession of Class A drugs.

Nyathi, of Steeplefields, Leigh, later admitted possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Friday.

Mitigating, Shazia Malik said Nyathi had been continuing to engage with probation services despite lockdown and would comply with a curfew.

Judge Andrew Hurst told Nyathi: “You have made positive lifestyle choices and people speak of how responsible and ambitious you are. You are described as an asset to your organisation. You’re highly motivated and you’re very positive about your future.”

Judge Hurst gave Nyathi a 16 month prison sentence suspended for ten months with no other requirements.

Francis Thomas 

A PAEDOPHILE has admitted possessing extreme pornography and indecent images of children.

Francis Thomas, 70, appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday where he admitted three sexual offences which took place last year.

Francis, of North Road, Westcliff, had previously been serving a community order for similar offences after being sentenced several years ago.

However, despite this, he was found to have an image of extreme pornography in April last year, along with indecent images of children in Category C, the least serious kind.

Thomas, dressed in a black shirt with a neckerchief and walking cane, spoke only to confirm his name and admit his crimes.

He also admitted failing to comply with notification requirements for his community order on November 15 last year.

He denied one count of breaching a sexual harm prevention order, which will not be pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Judge Ian Graham adjourned the sentencing until the week beginning August 24.

He said: “It’s important for your point of view that you cooperate with your solicitors and I am not making any promises for the final outcome, as you have a very poor record.”

Sonnie Keith and Jacob Daniels 

TWO men have denied intending to supply cannabis.

Sonnie Keith and Jacob Daniels have appeared in court charged with possession with intent to supply Class B drugs.

Keith, 27, of Avondale Walk, Canvey, and Daniels, 35, of The Weald, Canvey, came before Judge John Lodge at Basildon Crown Court on Thursday last week.

They were dressed in shirts and jeans, and spoke only to confirm their name and nationality. Both deny the one count against them.

The charge relates to an alleged incident on February 12 last year on the island where cannabis was said to be found.

The two remained impassive throughout the short hearing.

Judge Lodge told the men that their trial would take place at a later date and they would be released on unconditional bail.

The trial is expected to last at least two days, and does not yet have a fixed date.