Colchester: Five criminals jailed for offences in May

Among those jailed in May include a reckless driver who had to be tasered by police officers after a ferocious chase and a former soldier who launched an attack on his partner at her home.

Here’s a round-up of some of the high profile cases which have resulted in imprisonment last month.

DRUG dealers caught out by undercover police officers have been sentenced to a total of more than 16 years in prison.

The investigation led by Essex Police was launched amid concerns the supply of cocaine was rife within Colchester and violence was increasing.

Jailed - Benjamin Skelton, Karlin Cavill and Adam Stephenson

Ipswich Crown Court heard how the operation, dubbed Operation Monaco, ran between June and December 2021 and involved undercover officers purchasing drugs from targeted individuals.

Among those sentenced was Adam Stephenson, 31, of St Leonard’s Road, Colchester, after police officers found 685 grams of cocaine stashed in a Deliveroo bag at his property.

Richard Potts, prosecuting, said the force seized a “significant quantity” of designer footwear, jewellery and £25,000 in cash stashed in his sock drawer.

Stephenson admitted supploying Class A drugs and possessing criminal property, namely £25,000, was sentenced to six years, nine months imprisonment.

Stashed - drugs were found hidden in a Deliveroo bag (Image: Essex Police)

Also sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years, was Shane Dadds, 30, of Chase Court, Colchester, for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Officers also swooped in on Karlin Cavill, 25, of Old Road, Clacton, for advertising and supplying cocaine between April and October of last year.

Upon the conclusion of their investigation, the police descended on his property and found £2,000 in cash and, having seized his phone, realised he had illegitimately made at least £38,640 between April and October.

He admitted being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment.

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POLICE officers tasered a dangerous driver who dived out his vehicle after leading them on an “absurd” chase along the A12.

James McCann swerved into laybys and perilously undertook motorists when he realised the police were tailing him on March 17.

Jailed - James McCann

The chase saw the 32-year-old hit speeds of up to 90mph on the Colchester-bound A12 as he tried to lose the pursuing officers, Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

McCann, who has an “appalling record” of previous driving convictions dating back to 2008, was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment and banned from the roads.

Officers finally managed to detain McCann, who has 23 convictions for 51 previous offences, after he fled from Swan Street, Kelvedon, by tasering him.

McCann admitted dangerous driving, driving without a licence and without insurance.

McCann, of Manford Way, Chigwell, was disqualified from driving for three years and eight months, when he must then take extended lessons.

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A HOMELESS former paratrooper fuelled by “drink and obsessive jealousy” assaulted his partner, smashed a window with a headbutt and climbed onto her roof after she locked him out of her home.

Lee Dilger, 30, rose to the rank of Corporal in the Parachute Regiment, seeing combat in Afghanistan in 2010, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Prison - Lee Dilger

The court was told he joined up at the age of 16, but turned to drink to cope following a particularly “messy” tour.

In court, the victim fought back tears as she recounted how Dilger’s abuse had ruined her self-esteem, leaving her feeling humiliated and scared.

She said: “He used various emotional blackmail techniques. He was deeply paranoid I was unfaithful, this was the core of the abuse.

Dilger, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of assault by beating and two counts of criminal damage.

He was sentenced to 63 weeks imprisonment and hit with a restraining order banning contact with the victim.

Read the full story here.