FROM a "professional" thief to banned drivers, here are 20 residents or visitors in south Essex sentenced at magistrates' courts this month.

>>> Court reporting - what your newspaper can and can't report


A shoplifter who admitted 18 thefts from shops across Essex has been jailed.

Paul Evans stole food and drink from BP, M&S and Budgens in Billericay, Basildon, Brentwood and Ingatestone in incidents between December 2022 and October 2023, Barkingside Magistrates’ Court heard last Wednesday.

Evans, of Kingsbridge Road, Romford, stole items worth a total of £1,218.75.

The 45-year-old was jailed for 12 weeks as the court was told the nature of the offences show the defendant is operating as a “professional criminal”.


A SPEEDING driver who was found seven miles per hour above the limit on a main road has been hit with a fine.

Oksana Lumaraku, of Ramuz Drive, Westcliff, was behind the wheel of an Audi A6 on the A1203 in Aldgate when he was recorded going at 27 miles per hour on June 22. The limit was 20.

The offence was proved in the 23-year-old’s absence at Stratford Magistrates’ Court last Monday.

Lumaraku has now been fined £220 and ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £88.

He must also pay costs of £100.

His driving record was endorsed with three penalty points.


A DRINK driver caught behind the wheel on Thorpe Bay seafront while more than four times the legal limit has been hit with a suspended sentence.

Arkadiusz Krawczyk, 31, was driving in Thorpe Esplanade when he was caught with 143 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on Feruary 24. The legal limit is 35.

Krawczyk, of Rosewood Lane, Shoebury, admitted the offence at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 2 and has been banned from the roads for three years and handed a suspended sentence order of 12 weeks.

He must also pay prosecution costs of £105 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £154.


A MAN who failed to hand evidence over to an Essex Police boss has been banned from the roads.

Nabil Alam failed to give information to the chief officer in Billericay relating to the identification of a Seat Ibiza driver who was alleged to have been guilty of an offence on December 26, 2022.

The offence was proved in his absence at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 4.
Alam, of London Road, Colchester, has been banned from driving for six months and fined £660.

The 39-year-old must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £264 and prosecution costs of £110. 


A FARE dodger caught without at £3.80 train ticket has been fined more than £200.

Sylwia Put, of The Ridgeway, Westcliff, was travelling on the Govia Thameslink railway at Thornton Heath when she was found without the valid ticket on September 15.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court last Friday. 

The 30-year-old must now pay a fine of £220 and compensation of £3.80.

She has also been ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £88 as well as prosecution costs of £150.


A MAN has been fined more than £600 after failing to hand evidence to police.

Kavin Morgan, of Clarence Street, Southend, did not give information relating to the identification of a Volkswagen Sharan driver alleged to have been guilty of an offence after being required to do so by the chief officer of Metropolitan Police on September 19.

The 41-year-old has now been handed a fine of £660 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £264.

He must also pay prosecution costs of £100.

His driving record was endorsed with six points.


A PICK-UP truck driver caught while more than three times above the legal alcohol limit has been told to take part in alcohol treatment.

Mark Osborne, 52, was driving a Ford Ranger in Shoebury when found with 139 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on November 11. He also failed to surrender to custody having been released on bail.

Osborne, of Kensington Road, Southend, admitted both offences at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court and was ordered to take part in three months of alcohol treatment and a 40-day rehabilitation activity.

He was also banned from driving for two years and eight months and must pay a fine of £461, costs of £105 and a £114 surcharge.


A DRINK driver caught behind the wheel while nearly double the limit has been banned from the roads for more than three years.

William Duguid, of Palmerston Road, Westcliff, was driving a Ford Focus on the A127 when he was found with 63 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on December 28. The legal limit is 35.

The 48-year-old admitted the offence at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, April 3 and was banned from driving for three years and four months, with an opportunity to reduce the ban by 40 weeks if he takes part in a course.

He must pay a fine of £200, £105 prosecution costs and £80 surcharge.


A LEARNER caught driving without a supervisor or L plates has been hit with a fine and ban from the roads.

Mostaq Rayhan was behind the wheel of a Ford Fusion in Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, on November 2 when found with just a provisional driving licence. 

The offence was proved in the 54-year-old’s absence at Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, April 4.

Rayhan, of Burdock Drive, Basildon has been banned from driving for six months and must pay a fine of £220, prosecution costs of £110 and an £88 surcharge to fund victim services.


A SPEEDING motorist caught 30 miles per hour above the limit has been hit with a large fine and driving ban. 

Cristhian Delgado Nunez, 28, of Latimer Drive, Basildon, was caught going at 80 miles per hour while behind the wheel of an Audi S3 on the A1 in Barnet.

The speed limit is 50. Nunez admitted the offence at Stratford Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday.

He has now been banned from driving for six months and handed a fine of £500.

Nunez has been ordered to pay a victim services surcharge of £200, as well as prosecution costs of £110.


A WOMAN caught drink driving in Southend has been banned from the roads for more than a year.

Chloe Smitheman, 33, was driving a Ford Focus in Woodgrange Drive when she was found with 61 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on February 25, Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard. The limit is 35.

Smitheman, of Hamstel Road, Southend, admitted the offence on April 2, was banned from driving for a year and five months, fined £120 fine, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £105 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £48.


A BMW driver has been hit with an almost £1,000 fine after being caught above the alcohol limit.

Wayne Brown, of Copland Road, Stanford-le-Hope, was found behind the wheel in Lower Clapton Road, Hackney, with more 81 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on March 31.

The limit is 35.

The 51-year-old admitted the offence at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Brown has been banned from the roads for one year and eight months, and was handed a fine of £923.

He must also pay prosecution costs of £85 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £369.


A VAN driver caught behind the wheel on Canvey while over the alcohol limit has been slapped with a large fine.

Liam Carlton was driving a Peugeot Van in Central Wall Road when he was found with 55 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on February 28. The limit is 35.

Carlton, of Oak Walk, Benfleet, admitted the offence at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 2 and was handed a fine of £537.

He has also been banned from driving for a year and six months, with the opportunity of an 18-week reduction if he takes part in a course.

The 22-year-old must also pay £105 prosecution costs and a £215 surcharge.


A DRIVER caught speeding in a main Basildon road has been banned from the roads for half a year.

Amrik Channa has been banned from driving for six months after he was recorded doing 36 miles per hour in High Road on November 13, 2022. The limit is 30.

Alongside the roads ban, the 64-year-old has also been fined £153 and ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £61.

Channa, of Seaview Avenue, Basildon, must pay prosecution costs of £110.


A MAN who failed to hand evidence over to a police boss has been fined more than £200.

Russell Stone, 58, failed to give information to the chief officer of Essex Police in Billericay last

May relating to the identification of a Citroen driver who was alleged to have been guilty of an offence

Stone, of The Chase, Boreham, admitted the offence at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday.

He has now been ordered to pay a fine of £277, a surcharge to fund victim services of £110 and prosecution costs of £85.

Stone’s driving record has also been endorsed with six points.


A WOMAN found driving without insurance has been handed a roads ban.

Susan Walters, of Judge Link, Langdon Hills, was found behind the wheel on Mile End Road, in east London, when there was no insurance in force covering her Vauxhall Grandland X.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure and Walters was banned from driving for six months at Stratford Magistrates’ Court last Thursday.  The 51-year-old has also been fined £230, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £92 and prosecution costs of £110.


A DRINK driver found with a locking knife has been banned from the roads for 18 months.

Andrew Johnston, of Well Mead, Billericay, was driving in Maldon when he was caught with 77 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on February 27. The legal limit is 35.

The 34-year-old also had a locking Stanley knife in his possession when he was stopped in Limebrook Way, Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard.

Johnston admitted both offences on April 3 and has now been ordered to participate in 150 hours of unpaid work.


A MERCEDES driver caught speeding on the M25 has been hit with a fine.

Macaulay Norton, 30, of Haven Road, Canvey, was behind the wheel on the M25 in Maidstone when he was caught going at 71 miles per hour by an automatic camera on January 4 last year.

The limit was 60.

He admitted the offence at Medway Magistrates’ Court last Monday and was fined £200.

Norton must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £80 and prosecution costs of £85.

His driving record was endorsed with three points.


A DRINK driver caught over the limit on a main road in Rayleigh has been banned from the roads and fined.

Harrison Grant, 28, was driving a Vauxhall Corsa in London Road when he was found with 45 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath on February 24. The legal limit is 35.

Grant, of Beresford Court, Billericay, admitted the offence at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 2. 

He has been banned for a year, but can reduce that by 13 weeks if he takes a course, fined £635 and must pay £105 costs and £254 surcharge.


A RANGE Rover driver who was caught 17 miles per hour above the limit on the M25 has been hit with a fine.

Obinna Okam, of Spains Hall Place, Basildon, was driving on the motorway in Swanley on June 2 when he was caught speeding at 57 miles per hour. The limit in that stretch was 40.

The 47-year-old had previously denied the offence but changed his plea to guilty when he appeared at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court last Thursday.

He has now been fined £72 and ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £28.

His driving record has also been endorsed with three penalty points.