FROM a man caught with a knife at a c2c station to a Southend shoplifter, a number of people have been handed sentences at magistrates' courts in recent weeks.

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

A man who was caught with a knife at a c2c train station has been handed a suspended sentence order.

Alan Didier, of Renfrew Close, Beckton, was found with a kitchen knife at Westcliff station on January 6, Thames Magistrates' Court heard.

The 54-year-old was handed a six-month suspended prison sentence on Wednesday, which is suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to take part in drug rehabilitation and must provide samples for a period of three months. 

He must also pay a £154 fine and a surcharge to fund victim services of £154.

A shoplifter and drug driver has been jailed after a series of thefts from Southend supermarkets.

Danielle Strain, of Station Parade, Barking, stole meat from Marks and Spencer in the city on March 5 last year, before stealing another £300 worth of beef joints from the same shop two days later.

The following day, she stole £147 worth of meat products from Waitrose and made off without paying £50 for petrol at a Southend garage.

Strain also stole wine from a Co-op store and made off without paying for petrol in Witham on March 15 last year.

She was caught driving in Grays with 800 microgrammes of Benzoylecgonine, the main metabolite of cocaine, in her blood, on March 18 last year. The limit is 50. 

The 29-year-old has now been jailed for a total of 20 weeks, and banned from driving for two years and eight months.

A dangerous driver has been handed a suspended sentence order over an incident in a busy Rayleigh road.

Misir Kovaci appeared was handed the 22-week suspended prison sentence at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Tuesday after he was caught driving dangerously in Rawreth Lane on September 10 last year.

Kovaci, of St Michaels Road, Bedford, had also been found without insurance covering his Vauxhall Astra.

The 26-year-old must also carry out 300 hours of unpaid work, and has been banned from driving for a year.

He must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £154.

A driver who was caught going at more than 100 miles per hour on a motorway has been handed a large fine.

Deepak Krishnankutty, of Whitehouse Meadows, Eastwood, was driving a Volvo on the M1 at 1am on June 3 last year when he was caught speeding at 107 miles per hour. The limit is 70.

The 36-year-old admitted the offence via the single justice procedure.

He was handed a £490 fine at Wellingborough Magistrates' Court on Monday.

Krishnakutty must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £196 and costs of £90.

His driving record was also endorsed with six points.

A speeding driver caught without a seatbelt has been banned from the roads for almost a month.

Tyler Colyer, of Rodings Avenue, Stanford-le-Hope, was driving a Peugeot in Leatherhead Road, Kingston, when he was caught doing 50 miles per hour, Romford Magistrates' Court heard. The limit is 30.

Colyer was also found not wearing a seatbelt.

The 39-year-old admitted the offence via the single justice procedure and was fined £307 last Friday.

He was also banned from driving for 21 days, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £123 and costs of £110.

A woman who failed to hand information to police relating to a driver alleged to have been guilty of an offence has been fined more than £600.

Lyndsey Challenger, of Prince Avenue, Westcliff, failed to give information to the chief officer of Lincolnshire Police on September 8 relating to a driver who was alleged to have been guilty of an offence, Boston Magistrates' Court heard last Monday.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure.

The 38-year-old has now been fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £264 and costs of £110.

Her driving record was also endorsed with six penalty points.

A learner driver caught on the M25 without a supervisor and L plates has been banned from the roads.

Shaun Carrigan, of Burdock Drive, Laindon, was found driving on the motorway in Bexley when he was found without insurance covering his Mercedes on September 7.

He was also found to have been driving with a provisional licence when there was no supervisor with him and no L plates on the car. 

The offences were proven via the single justice procedure and the 31-year-old was banned from driving for six months at Bromley Magistrates' Court last Tuesday.

He has also been fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £264 and costs of £110.

A driver caught without a licence and insurance has been banned from the roads for a year.

Sean McNeil, of The Redwoods, Canvey, was found driving a Volkswagen Golf in the A406 when there was no insurance in force covering the car on June 29.

He was also caught without a licence, and there was no test certificate in force for the vehicle.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure and the 37-year-old was banned from driving for a year at Bromley Magistrates' Court last Tuesday.

He was also fined £660, ordered to pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £264 and costs of £110.

A speeding driver caught 12 miles per hour above the limit has been fined more than £200. 

Peter Smith, of West Road, Westcliff, was driving a Ford Fiesta on the A2 in Bexley when he was caught speeding at 62 miles per hour on August 21. The limit is 50.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure at Lavender Hill Magistrates' Court last Tuesday.

The 32-year-old has now been ordered to pay a fine of £220.

He must also pay a surcharge to fund victim services of £88 and costs of £90.

His driving record was also endorsed with three points.

A speeding driver caught almost 30 miles per hour above the limit in a motorway has been handed a large fine.

Daniel Webster, of Westmede, Langdon Hills, was driving on the M4 in South Gloucestershire when he was recorded going at 78 miles per hour on August 18. The limit is 50.

The offence was proved via the single justice procedure last Tuesday at Bath Magistrates' Courts.

The 51-year-old has now been handed a fine of £660.

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

Webster's driving record was endorsed with six points.