FROM obsessive and controlling men to taxi passenger who beat his driver and left him for dead, the courts dealing with Colchester and Tendring cases have had a busy month.
The offenders locked up for their crimes include a serving soldier who sexually assaulted a woman and a dangerous driver who ploughed into stationary traffic, leaving a victim with life-changing injuries.
Here are the faces and stories of the north east Essex criminals locked up this month.
Benjamin Pearson
AN obsessive and controlling man has been jailed for 30 months after a vicious assault on his partner.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard the assaults on the woman, who Benjamin Pearson met on social media app Snapchat, arose after he smashed her mobile telephone after being “unhappy” with what he found on it.
It was the second phone of hers he had smashed in a week.
Judge Mary Loram QC said: “The relationship only lasted five months, yet within that short time you became obsessive about her and controlling of her behaviour.
“You would criticise and dominate her verbally.
“That sadly escalated into violence, starting with hitting her to the face.
“Despite your tears on that occasion the violence continued, leaving her with bruises all over her body.
“You pulled her hair, pinched her, shoved her and grabbed her around the throat.
“Like many controlling men, you concerned yourself with what was on her phone.”
READ MORE: Clacton man jailed for 30 months after vicious assault on partner
Jack Powell
A TAXI driver who was beaten and “left for dead” at the side of the road in a violent robbery told a court his children didn’t even recognise him when he returned home from hospital.
Father-of-three Nurul Islam, 40, was left with life-threatening injuries after his customer, 19-year-old Jack Powell, launched a drink-fuelled attack.
Ipswich Crown Court heard at around 3.30am on November 7 last year, a resident living in Tower Mill Road, Ipswich, spotted a commotion from his window.
He witnessed what he assumed to be a fight taking place inside a parked Hackney carriage.
He saw a male being dragged from the driver’s side of the taxi and alerted the police.
The driver, Mr Islam, was found by officers face down next to his taxi on a grass verge.
They could see he had a swollen face and cuts to his lip and brow.
After noticing his breathing was shallow, the officers called an ambulance.
Powell was found nearby and immediately confessed to assaulting and robbing Mr Islam, telling officers he became angry at the price quoted for his journey.
READ MORE: Colchester taxi driver assault: Teen jailed for 'vicious' attack
Mohammed Jabbar
A DISQUALIFIED driver has been jailed after he drove his car at almost twice the drink drive limit.
Mohammed Jabbar appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Monday January 24 where he was convicted of drink drive and driving whilst disqualified.
It came after he was arrested on Saturday January 22, after he was spotted swerving between lanes and clipping a kerb as he drove along the A12, Stanway.
His driving was spotted by an off duty officer who called in the incident.
Jabbar was then stopped on Colne Bank Avenue just before 7am on Saturday morning.
The 34-year-old of Leyburn Road, Edmonton, London, was jailed for 18 weeks, disqualified from driving for 45 months and was ordered to pay £233 in costs.
READ MORE: Drink driver arrested in Colchester after being stopped by police
Daniel Green
A “SMALL time” drug dealer twice caught with bags of cannabis has been jailed after he was also found to have twice got behind the wheel while banned from driving.
Daniel Green, 31, was first spotted by police officers lurking in the corner of a car park at the Aldi store in Magdalen Street, Colchester, in June 2019.
Ipswich Crown Court heard when officers asked him if he “had anything he shouldn’t”, he produced a bag containing seven wraps of cannabis from one pocket and a further two deal-sized wraps from another.
His phone was found to contain messages concerning the sale of cannabis.
In March 2020, again in Colchester, he was spotted by police in an area “known for drug supply”.
When his rucksack was searched, officers found a seven-inch knife, 52g of cannabis worth £520 and £245 in cash.
Cannabis and a small set of scales were also found at Green’s home.
The court heard Green was twice caught driving while banned from the roads and without insurance in April and May last year.
On the second occasion, on May 12, police officers also discovered cannabis inside the VW car he was driving in Clacton.
The court heard Green also failed to appear in court for a trial after denying the 2019 possession with intent to supply offence, and was convicted in his absence.
He admitted one further count of possession with intent to supply cannabis, one charge of failing to appear in court, possession of a knife, two counts of possession of cannabis, two counts of driving while disqualified and two counts of driving while uninsured.
READ MORE: Colchester cannabis dealer carried knife and flouted ban
Daniel Ruel
A BURGLAR has been jailed after breaking into a corner shop and stealing thousands of pounds worth of stock and cash.
Daniel Ruel, 31, of Springham Drive, Colchester, stole more than £13,000 of stock and cash from the small shop in Ellenbrook Road, Ipswich, on January 12 last year.
Ipswich Crown Court heard only eight days before the burglary, Ruel had been granted bail after being convicted of harassment.
Along with another man, Ruel broke into the shop, called Penalty 2, and covered up the CCTV cameras when he realised he and his accomplice were being filmed.
READ MORE: Colchester burglar stole £13k of goods after breaking into shop
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