Essex Gypsy custody battle ends in court

From the Essex and Herts Observer

A JUDGE has been told how a former Felsted Gypsy wielded an axe during a feud between Essex Travellers, sparked by his brother’s kidnapping of two children.

Chelmsford Crown Court was told that Kerry Anne Mitchell, 20, was living in Littleport, with her two children when her former partner, Albert Buckley junior who is known as Quincy, snatched the children on March 26 last year.

She called police who gave chase and arrested Buckley and an accomplice near Junction 9 of the M11.

The court was told that the same night Buckley’s brother, Shane, formerly of Felsted and now of Woodham Road, Stow Maries, near Maldon armed himself with an axe and went to Kerry Anne's aunt's house in Cold Norton, Maldon.

Susan Barton, 34, said: “He was swinging what I later realised was an axe. I could see the sparks flying as it hit the concrete path.”

She confirmed a feud had developed between the families over custody of the two children and because the Buckleys thought Kerry Anne's family knew where she was hiding.

Albert Buckley junior 25, of Woodham Road, Chelmsford, and Tom Johnson, 19, of Cranham Hall caravan site, Little Waltham, Chelmsford, both pleaded to kidnap on .

Brother Shane has pleaded guilty to affray, threatening violence to Susan Barton and Roseanne Barton junior, 42.

A second brother David, 33, of Longbanks, Harlow, and sister Sylvia Buckley, 36, of Rockhampton Walk, Colchester, admitted using threatening behaviour.

Today (Wednesday, August 22) Judge Charles Gratwicke adjourned sentence until September 19 on the five defendants and released them on bail.

But he warned the two men facing the kidnap charge: “It's a serious matter. They should be under no illusion what the likely consequence is.”