A MAN who was arrested after dramatic scenes in Grays High Street on Monday (2 November) has been sent for trial at Crown Court.

Armed police swooped on the town centre after an alarm was raised just before noon when 60-year-old Martin Heward was seen brandishing what proved to be a toy firearm.

Heward, of Barnett Court, Palmers Avenue, Grays, was held overnight before appearing before magistrates in Basildon yesterday where he faced two charges.

Count one was possessing an imitation firearm, with intent to cause fear of violence and the second of racially aggravated alarm and distress to a woman.

He has been released on conditional bail on both charges.

On the firearm charge he pleaded not guilty and will next appear at a hearing at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, 4 December. In the interim he has to wear an electronic tag, live and sleep each night at his home, not contact the woman he approached again and he will be under the supervision of the mental health team based at Grays Hall in the town.

On the second charge he is scheduled to appear at Basildon Magistrates' Court on Monday, 15 March to make a plea.