More defendants have been through the courts in the past week.

This week's cases feature offences against police officers, thefts, assaults and having weapons.

All the below defendants appeared in court in south Essex.

Harrison Harris

A man who harassed women with distressing and offensive messages has been spared jail.

Harrison Harris was brought before Basildon Magistrates’ Court after being arrested for the vile messages he sent to the woman last year.

The 20-year-old of Cromer Close, Basildon, sent his first victim the messages on August 21 last year.

He sent it on Facebook and was grossly offensive and caused considerable anxiety to the woman.

The next victim was targeted between October 13 and 14 last year in Basildon, where he sent similarly offensive text messages to the woman to cause her stress and anxiety.

Harris was reported to the police and was arrested.

He appeared at court where he admitted two counts of sending grossly offensive messages with the purpose of causing anxiety.

The magistrates’ bench chose to give Harris a suspended six-week prison sentence.

The bench said that Harris has a history of aggressive communication and would often be aggressive towards his victims.

He was also given a restraining order banning him from contacting either of the women directly or indirectly until April 8 next year.

He must also pay costs to the prosecution totalling £312.

Gary Somers

A thug from Benfleet has been spared jail after attacking a woman.

Gary Somers attacked the woman in Benfleet at the beginning of the first Covid lockdown in March last year.

Between March 1 and March 31, he attacked the woman by beating her, following on from a previous attack on December 22 last year.

Somers, of Muirway, Benfleet, was arrested and later charged with assault by beating.

He appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court where he admitted both offences.

The magistrates’ bench gave him a community order to last until April 2022.

He must complete 30 days of rehabilitation, and was also fined £300, and must pay £105 in prosecution costs.

Tariq Agius

Tariq Agius has been spared jail after he and another man attacked the victim on Canvey almost two years ago.

The 18-year-old of Linden Way, Canvey, carried out the attack on the island on August 8 last year along with another man.

He was later arrested and admitted causing actual bodily harm.

At Basildon Magistrates’ Court he was ordered to pay £100 compensation, and given 40 hours unpaid work.

Arron Chattaway

A man showed up at a woman’s home despite being banned by a court.

Arron Chattaway has been spared jail after breaching a non-molestation order.

The 30-year-old of Gippeswyk, Basildon, attended the woman’s home in the town between July 20 and August 20 last year.

He admitted the breach at Basildon Magistrates’ Court and was given a community order with 60 hours unpaid work and 20 days rehabilitation.

Edmund Protopapa

A drunk thug spat on a police officer in hospital as horrified patients looked on.

Edmund Protopapa, an illegal immigrant, has been locked up after causing a “substantial disturbance” during an incident which saw him attack police at Southend Hospital.

The 30-year-old Albanian man, of no fixed address, had been taken to Southend Hospital in Westcliff.

Protopapa then carried out a string of attacks on the officers while drunk and in the presence of hospital staff and patients.

He spat on one officer, assaulted another and also caused damage to one of their uniforms.

The shocking attack happened on Tuesday last week, and Protopapa appeared in court two days later.

Protopapa admitted harassment, assaulting emergency workers and causing damage to a policeman’s uniform.

In their ruling, the magistrates’ bench said: “The offence is so serious because the defendant spat at an officer and in a hospital during the Covid pandemic, was extremely intoxicated and caused a substantial disturbance near vulnerable people in hospital.

“The defendant is an illegal immigrant with no right to work or live in this country.”

The magistrates’ bench sent Protopapa to prison for two months.

Alan Walters

Walters, 23, of Rivertons, Basildon, appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court where he admitted assaulting a woman twice.

The offence happened in Basildon on June 30 and July 3 last year.

In August last year he stole the woman’s debit card and damaged her tablet and the lock on her front door.

He was given a community order and must complete a drug rehabilitation course over six months, plus 30 days rehabilitation and 100 hours of unpaid work.

Andrew Gardner

Gardner, 28, of The Greenfields, Coventry, appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court where he admitted assaulting a woman twice in one day.

The offences happened in Southend on March 9 this year.

He was given a community order with 30 days rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was also given a restraining order for a year banning him from contacting the woman or entering the Southend borough.

Winifred Ward

Ward, 47, of Edmund Road, Rainham, was hauled before the courts to admit stealing goods from a Sainsbury’s store in Basildon.

Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard she stole items worth a total of £1,032 on February 22 this year.

Ward admitted the charges on April 9 and was fined £66 and an application made to reduce her benefits to retrieve a total of £205.

Lukas Bajarskas

Bajarskas, 28, of Basin Approach, London, appeared at Basildon Magistrates’ Court charged with having an offensive weapon.

He admitted having the CS spray can in Southend on July 25 last year.

He was fined a total of £461 and the spray can was ordered to be destroyed.