A MAN has admitted intimidating a potential witness in the ongoing investigation into the death of Lee Balkwell.

Scott Bromley, 39, of Herbert Grove, Southend, pleaded guilty to intimidating Mr Balkwell’s sister Tanya in a tanning salon.

Mr Balkwell, 33, was found dead trapped head first between the drum and chassis of a cement mixer at an industrial area on Baldwin’s Farm, South Ockendon, at 1am on July 18, 2002.

Five people, including Bromley, were arrested last November in connection with an onging police probe into the death.

Bromley, his parents David, 66, and Linda Bromley, 63, brother Simon Bromley and a 49-year-old woman from South Ockendon, were arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice.

They were all released from bail without charge in May, apart from Simon, who remains on bail on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and perverting the course of justice.

Basildon Crown Court heard Scott Bromley, while still on bail on suspicion of perverting the course of justice, approached Tanya Balkwell at the Absolutely Fabulous Tanning Salon, where she works in Upminster, on April 25.

He admitted “knowing or believing” that she was a “potential witness in proceedings”

and attending her work place in an attempt to intimidate her and “pervert the course of justice”.

When he was arrested last November, a bail condition was placed on him to have no form of contact with Tanya.

He indicated he would deny the offence at an earlier Basildon Magistrates’ Court hearing and was remanded in custody due to a risk of absconding.

He is due to be sentenced at crown court this month.

No one was arrested in connection with Mr Balkwell’s death until last year. An inquest in 2008 found he was unlawfully killed as a result of gross negligence manslaughter.

Mr Balkwell was working for Scott Bromley’s brother Simon, 43, at the time of his death.

He has always maintained it was an accident while they were drilling drying cement out from the drum.