EACH and every day, criminals cause misery across Colchester whether it be with violence, drug dealing or depraved sexual acts.

Here are the faces of the people police brought to justice in October who have received substantial jail sentences at crown court.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

CARER Rachel Fearnley stole thousands of pound from people she was supposed to look after and those she befriended at Bingo.

Rachel Fearnley squandered the money she stole to feed her gambling addiction.

Fearnley, of Fowler Road, Colchester, initially claimed she was being bullied by police when she was first arrested but later admitted three thefts and two counts of fraud.

In total the 44-year-old stole £13,000.

She was jailed for three years.

To read more click HERE.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

A PERVERT who stored hundreds of indecent images on his phone - including videos of babies being abused - has been jailed for more than five years.

Brian Wood’s home in Colchester was raided by officers last year after he was found to be using an internet application frequented by people involved in the distribution of illegal images.

Wood told detectives they would find child abuse pictures on his phone... but only because he himself was trying to catch a paedophile who was based in Thailand.

The 38-year-old, now of Goodway Gardens, London, admitted possession of indecent images, attempting to distribute indecent images, making indecent images and sexual touching of a child.

To read more click HERE.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

A COCAINE addict with a drug purifying lab in his home office has been jailed for more than five years after attempting to get hold of an illegal gun.

Frazer Jamieson ordered the Glock pistol and ammunition under the name of a previous tenant to his home in Colchester Road, Elmstead Market.

Analysis of Jamieson’s laptop showed that he had been using the dark web - and a site called Wall Street Market which has since been shut down by German police - to make regular orders of high purity cocaine from as far afield as Peru and Colombia and other drugs with the username Onion Blush.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard a further search of the house uncovered chemistry equipment in a room upstairs which was used to purify the drugs still further.

Police also uncovered MDMA, psychedelic drug DMT, cannabis and GHB when they searched the house.

The 49-year-old admitted attempting to possess a prohibited firearm and ammunition, being concerned in the importation of cocaine and possession of class A and class B drugs.

He was jailed for five-and-a-half-years.

To read more click HERE.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

A CALLOUS fraudster who conned elderly victims into handing over their bank cards before withdrawing more than £11,000 in cash has been jailed for two years and four months.

Albino Chaves, 24, acted as part of a group to dupe pensioners across Essex, using the coronavirus pandemic as a cover.

The fraudsters selected vulnerable victims, several aged in their 90s and one suffering with dementia, and obtained details including names, dates of birth and bank details.

They would then call the victim, pretending to be from their bank and informing them a courier would shortly be arriving at their home to deliver a new card.

He would then arrive on their doorstep, sometimes donning a high visibility jacket to give the appearance of legitimacy.

Chaves, of Bentry Road, Dagenham, admitted 12 charges of conspiracy to commit fraud, all carried out between February and April.

To read more click HERE.

Harwich and Manningtree Standard:

A WOULD-be robber has been jailed after he threatened a stranger with a piece of wood.

Officers were called to an address in Trinity Road, Halstead, after reports of an attempted robbery in February.

The victim was driving home in his van when he saw a man he didn’t recognise standing at the bottom of his driveway holding a piece of wood.

As he got closer, the victim wound his window down a little and asked the man what he wanted.

The attacker - who was later identified as Aaron Rowe – asked if he knew a man called Jack to which the victim responded no.

Rowe then threatened to smash the victim’s window if he didn’t hand over £20.

The driver told him if he didn’t leave he would call police but Rowe then swung the piece of wood at another car parked on the victim’s driveway and then threatened to hit him.

The victim rang Essex Police and drove off to get away from Rowe, who chased him and hit the van’s bonnet with the wood twice.

Rowe, 24, of Magdalen Street, Colchester, admitted attempted robbery, attempting to cause criminal damage and criminal damage.

To read more click HERE.

  • A STUDENT who hit speeds of more than 120mph during a chase along the A12 in the middle of the day has been jailed for six months.

Police tried to pull Hazan Ajimobi over on the Avenue of Remembrance in Colchester shortly after 11am.

But he inexplicably sped off, headed to the A12 and travelled towards London.

The 22-year-old weaved in and out of traffic, undertook and drove at speed on the hard shoulder and the verge.

Police lost sight of him but managed to stop him after a 17 mile chase at Hatfield Peverel.

Ajimobi, of Cann Hall Road, London, admitting a charge of dangerous driving.

To read more click HERE.