A TILBURY couple admitted failing to care for their dog properly and found themselves before Basildon magistrates.

Simon Peter Edward Lighten, 37, of Adelaide Road, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a West Highland Terrier by failure to address a chronic ear condition it suffered.

He was ordered to pay a surcharge and costs totalling £240 and carry out 40 hours unpaid community work.

Natasha Lighten, 35, of the same address received the same punishment.

The court heard the offence came before it after prosecution by the RSPCA.

They had owned the dog for eight years and there have been no previous issues identified.

The ear infection was suspected but not identified earlier when seen by the RSPCA.

At the time of the ear infection Mr Lighten's father had suffered a stroke and then diagnosed with kidney cancer. They concentrated their priorities on him rather than the dog. They have also had a cat for the same length of time and there have not been any concerns with regard to that animal. They have no previous convictions.

FIVE police officers were awarded £100 compensation each after being assaulted by a drunken Stanford-le-Hope man who narrowly escaped being sent to prison for his offences.

Basildon Magistrates' Court heard that Matthew Christopher Jarvis, 38, of Fairview Avenue, was drunk when he committed the assaults on 27 January in Stanford-le-Hope.

Jarvis was give a 12 week jail sentence, suspended for a year. He escaped having to pay costs as compensation, which will be deducted from his benefits, was seen by magistrates' as the priority. He also has to attend a rehabilitation activity.

SHANEY Lee Fear, 29, of Goldacre, Grays, was found guilty of assaulting Carl Tidy, occasioning actual bodily harm in a sustained assault.

He was ordered to pay compensation of £250 but magistrates at Basildon spared him jail, instead suspending a 26 week sentence for 1 year.

The court heard Fear was working and sustaining his career and his first baby was due to be born by his partner who will need support with the baby.

The offence took place in December 2018 with no offending in the interim and he has stopped drinking since.

Previous compliance with probation orders were noted as being excellent so there is a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

The defendant must comply with the a year long order not to enter any on-licenced premises in Thurrock and carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work.

A THURROCK man switched his plea when he appeared before magistrates and admitted harassment intending to cause alarm and distress.

Dharmbir Bhullar, 41, of Richmond Road, Grays, appeared before Basildon Magistrates Court charged with harassing Kulwinder Kair in April last year.

He had been expected to deny the charge but after changing his plea and making a statement to the court he received a conditonal discharge for six months and was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £20.

Because of the nature of his statement he was spared having to pay compensation and also did not have to pay costs because of the amount of time he had spent in custody.

THREE charges of assault against a Tilbury resident were dismissed when he appeared before magistrates at Basildon.

However, William Edward Owen Wilson, 24, of Bermuda Road, admitted resisting arrest and received a conditional discharge for six months and was ordered to pay a surcharge of £20 and costs of £85.

FAILING to adhere to the terms of a suspended sentence meant Daniel Harris, 39, of Moore Avenue, Tilbury ended up behind bars.

Harris received a suspended 18 week prison sentence in August 2018 but failed to adhere to the terms associated with that by not attending scheduled appointments.

BILLY McKenzie, 26, of Scott Road, Grays, admitted two charges of drug driving and was fined £120 and ordered to pay costs and a surcharge totalling £137.

He was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.

DARRYL Michael Appleton, 28, of Chesterton Way, Tilbury, admitted breaching a community order for a previous offence and was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs of £60.

KANE Gold, 29, of Broxburn Drive, South Ockendon, admitted failing to attend unpaid community work he has been ordered to carry out by magistrates. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs of £60.

A LITHUANIAN man who lives at Sachfield Drive, Chafford Hundred, admitted assaulting a woman. Vadim Jundo, 36, was ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community work and to pay costs and a surcharge totalling £195.

A 16-YEAR-OLD Aveley youth, who cannot be named because of his age, admitted carrying an illegal knife and assaulting two police officers in December last year.

He also admitted being drunk and disorderly and making a malicious telephone call.

He has been ordered to attend a 'Streetwise Weapons' awareness course and ordered to pay a victim surcharge fee of £21.

OLUWASEUN Obitoyinbo, 41, of Galey Green, South Ockendon, admitted drink driving and was fined £400 with costs and surcharge totalling £145.

He was banned from driving for 20 months.

A ROMANIAN man, Marius Popa, 25, who lives on St Chad's Road, Tilbury. admitted drug driving and was fined £400 with costs and surcharge totalling £145.

He was banned from driving for 16 months.

DEREK WArren, 44, of Buckles Lane, South Ockendon, admitted drink driving and was fined £400 with costs and surcharge totalling £145.

He was banned from driving for 22 months.

A 71-YEAR-OLD Tilbury man drove while disqualified and without insurance - and without wearing a seatbelt. Alan Stone of The Circle, Tilbury, was further disqualified for 18 months, fined £500 and ordered to pay costs and a surcharge totalling £155.

A 22-YEAR-OLD Iranian man residing in Dagenham faces trial at Basildon Magistrates' Court on 13 May where he will face 21 charges of supplying around 2,000 packets of illegal fake cigarettes.

Ismael Kadri Aqdam of Ibscott Close was released on unconditional bail.

CRISTIAN-dorin Mora, 40, a Romanian man living at Celebdon Close, Grays, admitted drink driving and was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid community work. He was also ordered to pay a surcharge and costs totalling £235 and was banned from driving for three years.

AN East Tilbury resident will face trial in May after successfully applying to have an initial conviction set aside.

Abubakar Ibrahim, 34, of Princess Avenue, had been convicted of failing to provide a specimen and banned but the conviction and endorsement have been set advice until the trial on 1 May at Basildon Magistrates' Court where he will plead not guilty.

LITHUANIAN Arunas Sertuytis, 35, who lives at Watts Crescent Purfleet, was found guilty of failing to provide a specimen of breath after being suspected of drink driving.

He was also charged with driving a motorbike without insurance, pleading guilty, and taking the bike unlawfully and crashing it into three vehicles. The latter charge was dismissed.

He had pleaded not guilty to the failure to provide a specimen but the case was proved and he was ordered to carry out 260 hours of unpaid community service, pay compensation of £350 and costs and a surcharge totalling £710.

He was also banned from driving for 30 months.

AN INDIAN man from Tilbury pleaded not guilty to a charge of assault and was cleared. The case against Ahmer Amir Patel, 31, of St Chad's Road, was dismissed and his legal costs will be paid from central funds.

A CHARGE of assault levelled against Samantha Jane Galloway, 52, of Crowell Crescent, Stanford-le-Hope was dismissed and no evidence was offered after she pleaded not guilty at Basildon mMagistrates' Court.

CHRISTOPHER Wilson, 26, of no fixed abode will face trial next month after pleading not guilty to two charges of assault and one of criminal damage. He was found guilty of breaking a bail condition not to enter Bermuda Road, Tilbury, where the alleged offences took place.

He was granted conditional bail on condition he does not contact the alleged victims and that he cannot enter Tilbury.

NATHAN Meredith, 27, of Goddard Road, Chadwell St Mary, admitted driving without a licence or insurance and obstructing a police officer in the course of her duty.

He will be sentenced at Basildon Magistrates' Court on 15 April.

CHRISTOPHER North, 31, of Buckles Lane, South Ockendon, will face trial at Basildon Magistrates' Court on 5 May charged with drug driving.

DUTCHMAN Korie Lerey Berman, 21, of Barnmead Meadow, Grays, admitted wilfully obstructing a police officer and was fined £80 and ordered to pay costs and a surcharge totalling £112.

HAYLEY Parsons, 35, of Defoe Parade, South Ockendon, admitted stealing washing powder worth £16 from Tesco Express in Tilbury and carrying an offensive weapon - a screwdriver.

She was put under a curfew for three months under which she must be at her South Ockendon address between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

She was also ordered to undertake rehabilitation activity and to pay costs and a surcharge totalling £235.

JAMIE Knight, 34, of Montreal Road, Tilbury, will face trial on 15 May charged with taking a Land Rover Discovery unlawfully, driving without insurance and a licence and failing to stop for a police officer.