‘Manipulative’ ringleader of cult that plotted to kidnap coroner jailed
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The “manipulative” ringleader of a cult and his co-conspirators who all plotted to kidnap a coroner and close down a court have been jailed.
Self-appointed leader Mark Christopher, 59, Matthew Martin, 47, Shiza Harper, 45, and Sean Harper, 38, were previously found guilty of a conspiracy to kidnap and falsely imprison Essex senior coroner Lincoln Brookes following an earlier trial. Christopher was also found guilty of sending threatening letters to Mr Brookes with intent to cause distress or anxiety.
The “frightening” plot involved a “significant degree of planning and preparation” and left the victims psychologically affected after suffering “considerable fear”, Chelmsford Crown Court has heard.
Christopher was sentenced to seven years imprisonment at the court in Essex on Monday, while the other three defendants were each handed prison sentences of 30 months.
Passing sentence, judge Mr Justice Goss said: “I regard the fact that the intention was to take the senior coroner from his court, if necessary by force and the use of handcuffs, in the purported exercise of non-existent powers and the endeavouring to close down a court – and thereby undermine lawful authority and the rule of law – as a very serious feature of the conspiracy.
“People in public life, performing a vocational service according to law and to the best of their ability, are entitled to protection and security – these are offences of high culpability.”
Addressing Christopher, the judge said: “I am satisfied that you are intelligent, persuasive, manipulative and dishonest.
“Your group, of which you are the self-appointed leader, preys upon the vulnerabilities of others – particularly those in financial difficulties, whom you persuade to pay you considerable amounts of money and do your bidding.”
He continued: “You lay at the very heart of these offences and your culpability is the highest.
“You clearly recruited your co-defendants to your ideology, [and] took a considerable amount of money from Sean and Shiza Harper.”
Mr Justice Goss told the other three defendants: “You each became caught up in these conspiracies at the behest of Christopher – and were prepared to commit offences by doing his bidding.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/cult-leader-coroner-kidnap-sentencing-b2636868.html.
