The courts in Essex have continued to process criminals this week.

Some cases are more high-profile than others, with allegations of serious crimes, and confessions of others.

This week has heard cases such as alleged racial harassment, robbery, rape and exposure.

Here is a rundown of the key cases heard at crown and magistrates' court this week.

Katie Jarvis

Echo:

Katie Jarvis faces charges of racially aggravated harassment, using threatening words or language and assault following a brawl on Marine Parade in Southend, outside the Papillon pub.

Jarvis, 29, played the character Hayley Slater in the BBC One soap Eastenders from 2018 to 2019.

Jarvis is alleged to have shouted "black lives don't matter" during a brawl, and also shouting abuse at another man queuing for takeaway food.

She's next due in court on May 13.

Justine Roberts

Echo:

Roberts has been jailed after she threw a knife at the shopkeeper during the botched robbery at Benfleet Wines, in Kiln Road, Thundersley.

During the attack, the shopkeeper was cornered behind a perspex screen in place as part of Covid restrictions, before fighting her off with a chair.

Roberts, 46, of Abbotswood, Hadleigh, tried to buy the cider at 8.45pm on February 3, but her card was declined twice.

Half an hour later she returned to the store, wearing a hat and face mask, and threatened the shopkeeper with a large kitchen knife, demanding he take cash from the till.

Read more here.

Alleged rape in Southend

The trial of Heine Esterhuizen saw his alleged victim taking to the witness box behind screens at Basildon Crown Court.

The 25-year-old of Royal Mews, Southend denies three counts of rape and causing actual bodily harm.

The court heard a series of texts sent by Esterhuizen and the victim by prosecuting barrister Cyrus Shroff.

The messages had been exchanged following the incident which are alleged to have happened in 2017.

She said: “He told me ‘bury it, don’t mention it. If you tell anyone about it I will be deported’.

“I lived in fear of people against me telling me to be quiet."

Read more here.

Ivor Eateen

80-year-old Ivor Eateen pulled his trousers down and performed sex acts on himself in front of a horrified neighbour – two days after being spared jail.

He was released from custody on October 14 last year after being sentenced for sexually assaulting a woman on a bus and exposing himself to a teenager.

The elderly man offended again just two days later on October 16, where a distressed neighbour called the police following his exposure.

Eateen, of Kursaal Way, Southend, was outside his property when he gestured to the woman making a phone shape with his hand, suggesting she should call him.

He then pulled down his trousers and performed sex acts on himself in her direction.
Eateen was arrested for exposure and remanded in custody.

He admitted the charge and was sentenced to six months in jail at Basildon Crown Court yesterday. He has been released due to time served. 

Read more here.