DESPITE the UK being in a third lockdown, the justice system is continuing to process the most serious criminal cases.

In south Essex, many cases have been heard at Basildon Crown Court, will other south Essex offenders have been sentenced elsewhere.

Here is a rundown of the major cases from this week.

Annabelle Forbes

Forbes was told numerous times by her friend and police officers to calm down as she was held down outside her home.

Despite this, she ended up lashing out at an officer resulting in her arrest.

Officers had gone to her home in Southend where they responded to reports of an altercation involving a knife.

Forbes, described as having a "Jekyll and Hyde" personality, was intoxicated and acted aggressively towards officers before assaulting them.

She was jailed for 12 weeks.

Stewart Goodwin

Braintree and Witham Times:

Stewart Goodwin, from Basildon, rammed a moped driver off the road then trying to mow his victim down when he launched the attack.

Three months after trying to use his car as a weapon, the "dangerous" 33-year-old slashed his victim's chin, grabbed a child and barricaded himself into the room of a house in Folkestone, Kent.

It took multiple attempts for officers to subdue him in what was described as a "rampage" last may.

A total of four officers forced the door when "well-built" Goodwin shouted incoherently and repeatedly tried slashing PC Davis with a kitchen and flick-knife.

He was jailed for nine years at Canterbury Crown Court.

Kye Lewis

Braintree and Witham Times:

Kye Lewis showed no emotion as Judge Samantha Cohen handed out her sentence for two counts of rape, which took place in the Sutton Road cemetery on July 11, 2017.

The 21-year-old of Archer Avenue, Southend, was convicted in August by a jury on a majority verdict.

He was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Tuesday.

Lewis had driven out to a “red light district” area known to be used by sex worker, had picked up his victim and driven to the cemetery, where he pulled a machete on her before raping her twice.

The judge described Lewis as "utterly remorseless" for his actions.

Kayleigh Hardiman

Kayleigh Hardiman burned a blue Puma tracksuit belonging to her then boyfriend Tyrell Thompson when he called her from prison.

Thompson, 24, of Kingston Road, London, was jailed for life in December for his “frenzied” murder of Lee Chapman in Cromer Road, Southend in March last year.

Hardiman admitted her role in perverting the course of justice at a hearing on Friday.

However, she was spared jail by Judge Samantha Leigh, who did not believe she was fully aware of the situation Thompson was in, and how much of a criminal he was.

Read more here.

Daniel Ballard

Daniel Ballard smashed his partner’s head against a rock, threw a bin’s contents over her car and strangled her - but has still been spared jail.

Ballard has been slapped with a five year restraining order following a turbulent relationship where he assaulted and threatened the woman.

The offences took place during the relationship which lasted around nine months in 2019.

The 30-year-old of Lincoln Close, Southend, was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court on Friday for putting a person in fear of violence by harassment, destroying property and assault by beating.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said: “It was somewhat turbulent from the early stages. In January 2019 she had been driving her car with the defendant in the passenger seat and he began punching himself and the interior of the car, and threatened to break her jaw if she didn’t pull over.

“When she stopped he attempted to strangle her with one hand restricting her breath, and then punched her in the face.”

Mr Potts said on another occasion Ballard armed himself with a knife and accused the woman of cheating, and used the knife to burst her tyres.

On another occasion when the couple were travelling on the M2 in Kent and Ballard demanded she pull over.

Mr Potts said: “He dragged her out by the hair and legs. He started to strangle her and caused redness and bruising. She sat on the bend begging him not to leave her on the motorway.

“He threw her phone in the bushes and headbutted her and dropped her in such a way that her head hit a rock.”

On May 24 that year, the woman noticed in the morning a bin was on top of her car with the contents strewn over it, and when she confronted Ballard, he replied that he “knew how to get her to talk to him”.

Further violent incidents saw Ballard threatening the woman’s neighbour when he confronted him about his behaviour, and him grabbing her by the throat and pushing her against a wall.

Judge Samantha Leigh told Ballard: “Your behaviour fell far below what it should have been in a caring and loving relationship.” 

Ballard was given a two year suspended prison term, 200 hours unpaid work, 60 days rehabilitation and a £200 fine.