Recap of court cases involving Tendring district this week

Judges and magistrates have been working through a hefty backlog of cases, with defendants being hauled into the dock to face justice.

Several people from Tendring are among those who have appeared in court.

Here's a recap of the cases we've reported on this week:

Chelmsford Crown Court (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Woman attacked and bit friend after misunderstanding about dog

A misunderstanding over a dog started a violent scuffle between two friends which ended up with one of them producing a knife on a neighbour's doorstep.

Abigail St George, 29, of Laurel Avenue, Harwich, admitted one count of assault and one count of possessing a bladed article at Colchester Magistrates' Court last week.

The misunderstanding led to the defendant punching the victim in the face before attacking her and pulling her hair.

FULL STORY: Woman admits to attacking and biting her friend after misunderstanding about a dog

Driver refused to provide blood sample to police

A driver refused to provide a specimen when he was stopped by police because his two stepsons had attacked him and caused him serious head injuries.

Robert Travers, 46, of Jackson Road, Clacton, had been driving through Colchester shortly after Christmas in 2022 when he was stopped by police.

Officers asked him to provide a blood sample, but after Travers refused, he was charged with failing to provide a specimen.

He initially denied the offence but changed his plea to guilty when he appeared in Colchester Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

FULL STORY: Driver refused to give sample because he had been 'assaulted by two stepsons'

Man fined after prison release

A Clacton man must pay more than £100 after he failed to comply with supervision requirements imposed following his release from prison.

Emmanuel Blake, 21, of the Frandon Hotel, Clacton, failed to report for office appointments in July and October without good reason.

He admitted breaching supervision requirements when he appeared before the courts again last month.

FULL STORY: Clacton man fined by court for flouting rules after prison release

Hairdresser avoided driving ban

A hairdresser who used her mobile phone behind the wheel has been spared a driving ban due to "exceptional circumstances" relating to her business and daughter's medical needs.

Claire Gibbs, 36, of Farmleigh Avenue, Clacton, was caught by police using her mobile phone whilst driving her Ford Focus in March last year.

She appeared before magistrates in Colchester on Thursday to argue she needed to keep her licence because of exceptional circumstances.

She avoided a driving ban but was ordered to pay hundreds of pounds and was handed points on her licence.

FULL STORY: Hairdresser who used phone while driving avoids ban due to exceptional circumstances

Lockdown drug dealer sentenced

A young drug dealer has finally been sentenced nearly four years after being arrested during lockdown.

Dante Cartier, 26, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, was found sitting in a parked car in Church Road, Clacton, in May 2020.

Due to lockdown restrictions, a police officer performed a welfare check on the vehicle and found it had no insurance, smelt of cannabis, and had several mobile phones on the front passenger seat.

Cartier was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court, where he was convicted last year, on Monday.

FULL STORY: Young Clacton drug dealer finally sentenced... nearly four years after being caught

Man denies threatening person with hammer

A man is set to stand trial accused of assaulting a man and threatening him with a hammer.

Steven Gooch, of Clacton Road, Weeley, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Monday and denied threatening someone with an offensive weapon and beating them during an incident in August last year.

A trial date has been set for next year.

FULL STORY: North Essex man accused of threatening person with hammer during 'attack'