From a pyromaniac starting a fire in a village hall to a burglar who returned to the scene of a crime three times in one night, these are some of the criminals dealt with at crown court over the past month.

  • A pyromaniac with a compulsion for setting fires was jailed for two years.

Gazette:

In his fifth conviction for arson, Antony Kleingeld was caught on camera starting a blaze at Ardleigh Village Hall in July.

After briefly surveying the scene and looking through nearby windows, the 29-year-old used his own fleece to spread the fire to the door and caused £700 worth of damage.

The prolific firestarter was arrested at his home in Ardleigh Court and told police it had happened because his mental health was deteriorating.

Judge Timothy Walker jailed him for two years, urged him to get help and never start a blaze again.

  • A brazen burglar returned to the scene of the crime three times in one night as he raided a hotel and restaurant.

Gazette: Justice - David Grover returned to the scene of his burglaryJustice - David Grover returned to the scene of his burglary

Drug addict David Grover smashed into the Langtry Hotel and adjoining Franco’s eaterie in Cole Road, Clacton, and left within minutes carrying the till drawer.

They returned to the scene two more times to steal further items. 

Hockley, 50, of Edith Road, Clacton, was given a year in jail suspended for 18 months earlier this year.

But Grover, 28, was arrested in the summer and finally jailed for a year by Judge Christopher Morgan at Chelmsford Crown Court this month.

  • Thug Andrew Atkins received a suspended jail term after flying into a rage and throttling, pushing and dragging his then girlfriend across the floor.

He later denied anything had happened to the police.

Atkins and his partner were in the room they shared at a house in Guildford Road, Colchester, when a row started.

The 40-year-old was shouting at the woman so loudly and close to her face that his spittle landed on her.

When she complained he was spitting, Atkins grabbed her by the throat with both hands so hard that she struggled to breathe.

At Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge David Turner QC decided to suspend a seven month prison sentence for two years in order for him to work with the probation service.

He must do 150 hours of unpaid work, 30 rehabilitation days and the building better relationships programme. He is banned from contacting the victim, who described herself as heartbroken and battered after the attack, for three years.

  • A thief was jailed after stealing thousands of pounds worth of televisions after following a delivery driver.

Abiodun Banjoko tailed the Currys vehicle for some 45 minutes in a van he had hired until it arrived in King Coel Road, Colchester.

He then got out of his own vehicle and nabbed seven TVs worth £6,703.84.

The 32-year-old went on to sell them for less than half their market value.

Banjoko, of Landsdown Road, London admitted two thefts at Chelmsford Crown Court and was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment.

  • A robber who embarked on a spending spree after stealing £5,000 from a building society has been described as "a persistent career criminal."

Gazette: Jailed - robber Bruce Chipunza stole £5k from a building societyJailed - robber Bruce Chipunza stole £5k from a building society

Bruce Chipunza threatened two members of staff at the Saffron Building Society branch in Culver Street West, Colchester, on July 1, 2019.

Chipunza ran off but detectives scoured CCTV footage from around the town centre.

It showed him entering a hotel where he changed his clothes then took a taxi to where he was staying in Ellis Road, Clacton.
Further footage showed him leaving the address in another set of clothes, before heading to Westfield shopping centre in Stratford where he embarked on a shopping spree.

He was sentenced to eight years imprisonment for the Colchester robbery and a similar robbery he committed in Chadwell Heath, north-east London, just days before.

  • A pervert who paid to watch the sexual abuse of young girls has been put behind bars for four years.

Gazette: Locked up: Adrian Page was jailed for four yearsLocked up: Adrian Page was jailed for four years

Adrian Page, 58, preyed on young, vulnerable children by forking out thousands of Philippine pesos, arranging to watch sickening live videos.

Police first searched Page’s home in January 2018, seizing a number of electronic devices.

They were analysed and were found to contain both indecent images of children, including 34 of the most serious Category A, and extreme pornographic material.

He admitted eight counts of arranging or facilitating the sexual exploitation of a child, four counts of possessing indecent images of children and one count of possessing extreme pornographic images.

At Ipswich Crown Court, Page, of Chapel Road, Langham, was sentenced to four years imprisonment and made the subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.