Cult Members Convicted in Essex Kidnapping Plot

Members of an 'anti-establishment cult' have been found guilty of conspiring to kidnap senior coroner Lincoln Brookes. The group, consisting of Mark Christopher, Matthew Martin, Shiza Harper, and Sean Harper, stormed Essex Coroner's Court in April 2023 with handcuffs, intending to 'shut down' the court. They believed their self-conferred legal powers could override the judicial system in England and Wales. Christopher was also found guilty of sending threatening letters to Brookes with the intent to cause distress or anxiety. The jury at Chelmsford Crown Court delivered majority verdicts for conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment, with additional charges against Martin still under deliberation. The defendants are set to be sentenced at a later date.