Essex crime: Faces and stories of 14 criminals jailed in Essex last month – Essex Live

As life has returned to a little more normality over the last few months, one thing has continued - the justice system.

The police and the Crown Prosecution Service have worked endlessly to hold people responsible and punish them for their crimes

Some of the crimes heard in court in the last month have included murder, burglaries and child abuse.

These criminals are currently serving time for their crimes in prison, with some set to spend a long time behind bars.

These are the cases of offenders who have been jailed in May 2021.

These are the faces of ringleaders of drug gangs in Harlow. They have organised crime groups which supplied drugs to county lines gangs and have been jailed for a combined total of more than 40 years.

Christoper Golding headed up the network, which smuggled cocaine through port containers before selling it on to gangs supplying west Essex, Hertfordshire, London and Suffolk.

They have earned at least 500,000 from this operation, which was stashed in Bitcoin or laundered through a pub Golding ran as a licensee.

Officers started investigating the group after reports of drug dealing was occurring.

Two of the group members, Lee Collett and Lee Wilkinson, were arrested in May 2018.

As the investigation progressed, officers identified people higher up that eventually led to Golding.

Everything culminated in dawn raids at 18 addresses in Harlow and one in Haverhill, Suffolk, in October last year. More than 100,000 in cash, assets and weapons, as well as 120,000 worth of cocaine was seized.

Golding, 39 of Hart Road, Harlow, was among seven men who admitted conspiracy to supply a class A drug when they appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court

The other men were:Christopher Lee Collett, 37, of Perry Spring, Harlow

Robert Aldred, 30, of Pittmans Field, Harlow

Agirdas Gustaitis Agirdas Gustaitis, 31, of Meadow Court, Harlow

Stuart Thurgood, 39, of Morley Grove, Harlow

David Wilkinson, 36, of Primrose Hill, Haverhill

Lee Wilkinson, 38, of Parsonage, Leys, Harlow

Adam Dalby, 36, of Wedgwood Drive, Harlow

Golding was given 12 years in jail, while Thurgood was handed eight for being Golding right-hand man in the criminal network. Both L. Wilkinson and Dalby was sentenced to six years and eight months.

D.Wilkinson was handed a four years and eight sentence, while Aldred was jailed for two years and eight months. Collet was given the lowest sentence with two years and Gustaitas was sentenced to two years and four months.

Alan Archer and Jane Reilly were each given a 24 year prison sentence for the attempted murder of a man they tried to set fire to.

The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered life-altering injuries following the attack outside his home in Southend in October 2019.

The vicious attack resulted in losing four toes and 60 per cent of his body was burnt.

The victim had gone outside after taking a phone call with Archer, who he knew prior to the incident, before CCTV footage showed him being doused with a fluid from a petrol can and set ablaze.

Reilly, 53, of Fairmead Avenue, Westcliff and Archer from Dexter Close, Grays, were arrested and charged for the attack.

Officers arrested the pair after they became suspicious of a vehicle driving past the address numerous occasions including stopping to ask the victims partner is she was okay.

Spencer Smith, 30, from Loughton was sentenced to a concurrent jail sentence for supplying drugs and possession of criminal property.

Smith will serve six years for supplying controlled substances and three years for possession of criminal property at the same time.

The offender was arrested at his home in January 2020 after Essex Police's Raptor officers seized seven phones, three Rolex watches, cocaine and cannabis, drug paraphernalia and around 5,000 in cash.

Smith pleaded guilty to the charges at Chelmsford Crown Court last month.

Detective Sergeant James Paget, of Op Raptor West, said: Thanks to the hard work of our officers, Smith will be behind bars for a significant amount of time for his crimes. He had no choice but to enter guilty pleas to these offences due to the evidence we had against him.

Powdered cocaine is just as dangerous as any other Class A drug. Like everything else, it can still ruin lives and still exploits those with addictions.

Smith did all of that, without remorse, so that he could fund his lavish lifestyle which, thankfully, wont be so glamourous for the next few years.

Simon Chilton, from Clacton-On-Sea, was put behind bars for 21 years when he was convicted for sexual assaults against children.

The 36-year-old was arrested in November 2018 when his criminal activities were exposed.

Detectives found he had been committing serious sexual crimes against two children between 2013 and 2018.

Chilton was found guilty of seven counts of rape, six counts of sexual assault, four counts of sexual assault by penetration, and one count of assault by beating.

In addition to the 21 year jail sentence, he was given an extra year on license.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Nicola Blackburn said: "The two victims have shown incredible bravery in reporting these offences to us and telling us what happened.

"We supported them to ensure their welfare and help them tell us what had happened to them.

"Simon Chilton subjected them to an unimaginable ordeal spanning years.

"He will now spend a significant time behind bars where he will not be able to endanger any more young people.

"No sentence can ever undo the damage Chilton has caused but I hope this result will help his victims to move forward."

Mark Brinkley, of Elizabeth Way, Harlow, has been sentenced to six years nine months after being convicted for manslaughter.

Brinkley, 26, confessed to the manslaughter of Philip Burr, 38, who was found lying unconscious at the side of the road in Potter Street, Harlow, by an officer on patrol.

A black BMW 116 series was found on fire in Roydon 40 minutes later and was later linked to the collision through forensic evidence.

Philip was taken to the Royal London Hospital but died the next day. Post-mortem ruled that he died as a result of severe trauma to his head.

Brinkley was arrested the day after the incident happened, and was charged with murder in August last year.

At Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday, April 30, Brinkley admitted being the driver of the car and pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He has also been banned from driving for five years and five months, and must take an extended re-test.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Jennings, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: This was a senseless act of violence that ultimately led to a mans death.

Not only did Brinkleys actions cause injuries so severe that Philip sadly lost his life, he left him injured and dying alone at the side of the road.

While were pleased that Brinkley has finally admitted his guilt, we know this wont bring Philip back and our thoughts continue to be with his family.

Marcel Zawolski, of Dell Road, Grays, was jailed for three years and one month for selling heroin.

Op Raptor officers investigated a drug line operating in the area at the beginning of this year and identified the 20-year-old through a phone number which drugs were up for sale.

He was arrested in February when officers searched his home and found more than 1,800 cash, a list of phone number, three phones and suspected Class A drugs.

When he was searched in custody, officers found 40 wraps of heroin and a set of electric scales hidden in his underwear.

"Sadistic" murderer Larence Bourke stabbed a pub landlord 70 times in a brutal killing.

Adored Swiss Bell Pub landlord Scott Gilhooly, 44, was fatally stabbed to death at his own pub in Braintree on the morning of May 17, 2020 by his lodger Bourke.

At Basildon Crown Court, the court heard how Mr Gilhooly had offered Bourke, 24, a room above his pub to stay in - after Bourke was kicked out of his home in February 2019.

He sent evil text messages after carrying out the murder saying that he enjoyed doing it.

Bourke was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years, less 367 days in custody on remand.

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Essex crime: Faces and stories of 14 criminals jailed in Essex last month - Essex Live