FROM drug driving to blue badge fraud, a number of people in south Essex have been hit with fines, costs and even driving bans at the courts in recent weeks.

>>> Court reporting - what your newspaper can and can't report


A driver caught using a disabled person’s blue badge which was reported as stolen has been ordered to pay more than £500 in a fine and costs.

Richard Amoah, of Morley Hill, Stanford-le-Hope, had unlawfully used a disabled person’s badge in relation to the parking of a vehicle in Osier Way on August 11, Thames Magistrates’ Court heard.

The card holder was not and had not been present at the location, the court was told.

The 30-year-old admitted the offence on February 27 and has now been handed a fine of £80.


A drug driver caught behind the wheel on the A127 has been banned from the roads.

Ronnie Tretton, of Ruskin Avenue, Southend was driving a Ford Focus on the major road in Rayleigh when he was found with 371 microgrammes of Benzoylecgonine - the major metabolite of cocaine - per litre of blood in his system, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard. The limit is 50.

The 39-year-old was also found with a quantity of cocaine at the time.

He admitted the offences on Tuesday and was banned from driving for a year.

Tretton must pay a fine of £120 and prosecution costs of £85. He was also fined £40 after failing to attend an initial drug assessment on August 15.


A man who admitted depositing waste without a permit in a layby has been fined more than £1,500.

Valentin Ene, of Kingsdown Close, Pitsea, deposited 30 wooden pallets in a layby on the A40 near Ganarew, in Hertfordshire, without a permit on June 26, Hereford Magistrates’ Court heard. 

The 31-year-old admitted the offence on Monday and was handed a fine of £1,600.

He must also pay costs of £814.09 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £640.

Ene also admitted transferring controlled waste without taking reasonable measures, for which he faced no separate penalty.


A driver caught speeding on a major road near Lakeside shopping centre has been banned from the roads for half a year.

Jahangir Sikder, of Halley Road, Forest Gate, London, was driving a Volkswagen Sharan on the A13 in south Essex when he was caught going at 60 miles per hour. The limit is 50.

The 55-year-old admitted the offence and was banned from driving for six months at Romford Magistrates’ Court.

He has also been fined £84, ordered to pay costs of £110 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £34.


A speeding driver caught seven miles per hour above the limit has been fined more than £400.

Adam Lyons, of Folly Lane, Hockley, was driving in Narborough Road, in Leicester, when he was recorded going at 37 miles per hour, Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard. The limit is 30.

The 37-year-old admitted the offence via the single justice procedure on February 1.

He has now been ordered to pay a fine of £407.

He must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £162 and costs of £90.

His driving record was endorsed with three penalty points.


A woman who jumped a red light on a major road has been fined.

Jadesola Martins, of London Road, Southend, was driving on the A6 in Leicester when she failed to comply with red light traffic signals on July 13.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on February 1.

The 34-year-old has now been fined £220 and ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £88. She must also pay costs of £90. Her driving licence has been endorsed with three penalty points.


A speeding driver who was caught six miles per hour above the limit has been ordered to pay £200 in a fine and costs.

Shaun Henry, of Park View Drive, Leigh, was driving a Scania in the A40 near Bramley Road, in Kensington, when he was caught going at 36 miles per hour on July 12. The limit is 30.

The 44-year-old admitted the offence on Friday and has now been ordered to pay a fine of £72.
He must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £28 and costs of £100.

His driving record was endorsed with three penalty points.


A woman who was found on a train without a valid £6.40 ticket has been fined more than £200.

Klaudia Nowak, of St Anns Road, Southend, had entered a train at Streatham station when she was found without having the valid ticket entitling her to travel. 

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court last Monday.

The 29-year-old has now been hit with a fine of £220 and ordered to pay compensation of £6.40.

She must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £88 and prosecution costs of £150.


A man who was caught with a Class A drug has been handed a fine.

Nicky Hawkins, of Farnham Avenue, Wickford, was in Haringey when he was found with a quantity of cocaine on December 7, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard.

The 41-year-old admitted the offence on Thursday, February 15, and Hawkins has now been ordered to pay a fine of £250.

He has also been ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £100.

No order for costs was made.


A man who did not hand over evidence relating to a driver alleged to have been guilty of an offence has been handed a large fine.

Mark Miller, of Cathedral Drive, Laindon, failed to give information relating to the driver, having been require by or on behalf of the chief officer of police for Leicestershire Police on September 19.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, February 22.

The 53-year-old has now been fined £660 and handed six penalty points.

Miller must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £264 and costs of £90.


A man caught on a train without a £3.50 ticket has been ordered to pay more than £450 in a fine and costs.

Shazad Sarhad, of Woodgrange Drive, Southend, was found travelling on a c2c train from Leigh to Westcliff without the valid ticket on November 13.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on February 28 and the 20-year-old has now been fined £220.

He must also pay compensation of £3.50, a surcharge to fund victim services of £88 and costs of £175.


A speeding driver caught eight miles per hour above the limit on the A13 has been handed a fine.

Chris Bowes, of Wickford Road, Westcliff, was driving a Mercedes GLC near Steels Lane in Aldgate when he was recorded going at 28 miles per hour on August 26. The limit is 20.

The offence was proved on February 28 at Willesden Magistrates’ Court.

The 31-year-old has now been fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £100 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £88


A man who failed to comply with a community order made in Southend has been hit with a fine.

George Ward, of Manor Square, Dagenham, failed to comply with the order made by Southend Magistrates’ Court after not turning up to unpaid work on October 31 and January 20 without a reasonable excuse. 

Ward did not provide evidence in relation to these absences within five working days, Barkingside Magistrates’ Court  heard. The 32-year-old admitted the breach last Thursday.

The order will continue and Ward has now been handed a fine of £50. An application was also made for benefit deductions, with a sum to be recovered of £50.


A speeding driver has been fined more than £200 after being caught six miles per hour above the limit.

Steve Emery, of High Pavement, Basildon, was driving a Mercedes V Class on the A40 near Terrick Street, in Shepherds Bush, when he was recorded going at 36 miles per hour on August 21. The speed limit is 30.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure at Bromley Magistrates’ Court on February 29.

The 34-year-old has now been fined £220 and handed three penalty points.

Emery must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £88 and costs of £110.


A van driver who was caught on a motorway using his phone behind the wheel has been handed a fine and penalty points.

Louis Jonas, of Meadow Way, Wickford, was driving a Mercedes Sprinter on the M2 in Kent when he was found using a mobile phone on April 11 last year, Medway Magistrates’ Court heard.

The 48-year-old admitted the offence via the single justice procedure on September 25.
Jonas was handed a fine of £266 and a surcharge to fund victim services of £106 at the Chatham court last Monday.

His licence was also endorsed with six penalty points.