A group of individuals who attempted to kidnap HM Coroner Lincoln Brookes from Essex Coroner’s Court have been found guilty of multiple offences.
Sean Harper, Shiza Harper, Matthew Dean Martin, and Mark Kishon Christopher appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court today, where following a two-week trial, they were found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment.
Incident Overview
On April 20, 2023, at around 12:30 PM, the group entered Seax House in Chelmsford. Wearing high-visibility jackets and body-worn cameras, and carrying handcuffs, they demanded to know the whereabouts of Lincoln Brookes, asserting that they wanted to speak with him and claiming that the court had been shut down.
Mr. Brookes was not in the building at the time, and an alarm was sounded by those present. The group then held individuals inside the building, threatening them and claiming to know where they lived.
Police Response
Officers arrived at Seax House and were confronted by Christopher, who declared, “We have shut this court system down,” and instructed officers, “You are not here to question me, you are here to aid me.”
Martin was arrested at the court on suspicion of assault and criminal damage, while Christopher, Sean Harper, and Shiza Harper fled the scene. Quick enquiries by Essex Police soon revealed the group’s motives, prompting concern.
Background and Arrests
The four belong to an Organised Pseudolegal Commercial Argument (OPCA) group, which perceives itself as above law enforcement and the court system, considering itself a ‘court of the people.’ The group believed they held powers of arrest and had previously discussed corporal punishment.
Further investigations uncovered that HM Coroner Lincoln Brookes had received numerous letters and emails from the group, which grew increasingly threatening, including one letter threatening “corporal punishment on the spot.”
At around 2:00 PM, Christopher, Sean Harper, and Shiza Harper were located near Southend County Court and arrested. Searches of their addresses revealed several items indicating plans to harm Mr. Brookes.
Trial and Verdicts
During interviews, Shiza Harper revealed that after leaving Seax House, the group had intended to close down Southend County Court. She claimed to be a qualified postal inspector after completing a two-week course led by Christopher.
The trial began on July 16, with HM Coroner Lincoln Brookes describing the significant impact the incident had on him, making him “hyper-vigilant about the safety of my family and myself.”
Sean Harper, 38, and Shiza Harper, 45, both of Benfleet Park Road in Benfleet, were found guilty by a majority verdict of 11-1. Matthew Dean Martin, 47, of Evelyn Denington Road in London, and Mark Kishon Christopher, 58, of Claremont Road in London, were also found guilty by a majority verdict of 11-1. Christopher was additionally found unanimously guilty of sending a letter or email with intent to cause distress or anxiety.
Christopher will be remanded in custody, while the others will be bailed until sentencing at a later date.
Official Statements
Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Hutchinson stated, “The ideologies of this group were concerning, and they genuinely believed they had the power to construct their own legal system, threaten others, and were above English law. No one should feel threatened for doing their job.”
He commended the actions of security and coroner’s staff at Seax House for acting calmly and rationally during the ordeal and praised the investigation team for their dedication in gathering the necessary evidence to convict the group.
