DESPITE the terrible news about the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many other serious incidents also made the headlines.
From people being murdered over money, to being thrown from a bicycle or found inside a lorry container, 2020 brought in some shocking stories of people's lives being taken away in south Essex.
Below are some of the most tragic cases to have been shared in the county over the past year.
The murder of Courtney Valentine-Brown
Kelly King, Ian Slater, Alex Stephens and Stuart Pearson had gone to King’s flat in Roots Hall Drive to get tenant Courtney Valentine-Brown to leave.
The group were armed with weapons and, in the ensuing struggle in the flat, Mr Valentine-Brown was stabbed through the femoral artery in his leg by Stephens.
The 36-year-old later died from his injuries.
All four had denied his murder, with Stephens, the man who stabbed Mr Valentine-Brown, claiming he had done it in self-defence.
But the jury did not believe them and convicted Stephens and Slater of murder, and Pearson and King of manslaughter.
They were sentenced last January.
The trial of people smugglers that killed 39 people
Since the discovery of the mass grave of 39 migrants inside the lorry container in the Waterglade Industrial Estate, Grays, on October 23, 2019, Essex Police embarked upon its biggest investigation to date.
More than 1,300 staff took part in the investigation, headed up by Chief Inspector Daniel Stoten.
Chief Insp Daniel Stoten
The evidence was compiled and used to convict four people of their role in the operation which happened at the Old Bailey in December, just over a year after the discovery.
Leading officers in the case shared how they did not see their home for the first few months of the investigation.
Read more here.
The murder of Lee Chapman
Tyrel Thompson stabbed Lee Chapman in a frenzied attack while henchman Lamar Davis held the victim so he couldn't escape.
Mr Chapman was murdered in Cromer Road, Southend on March 6 last year.
His death was followed by an outpouring of grief and sadness, with tributes and flowers being laid at the scene of his stabbing.
Eventually, four people were charged with his murder and went on trial, with three people convicted of the murder.
Thompson is serving a life sentence for murder, while Lamar Davis, 18, and a 16-year-old boy, are to be sentenced in February.
Read more here.
The death of Ben Greenslade
David Hanson, left, caused the death of Ben Greenslade, right
David Hanson's van drove into the back of Ben Greenslade's bike along the A127 in Wickford on September 2, 2018.
Mr Greenslade, 30, died at the scene and Hanson was arrested at the roadside after testing positive for cocaine and cannabis.
Blood samples were taken while Hanson, 44, was in custody and showed he was double the legal limit for cocaine.
Touching tributes were paid to Mr Greenslade by his sister when Hanson was jailed in July, calling him a "selfless" brother.
Hanson was jailed for 28 months.
The death of Grace Millane - and the jailing and unmasking of her killer
The death of Grace Millane, from Wickford, in New Zealand shocked the world.
She was strangled on December 1, 2018 - the day before her 22nd birthday.
Ms Millane's body was later found in a suitcase buried in a forested area outside the city.
In February 2020, Jesse Kempson was jailed for at least 17 years for the murder.
He claimed Ms Millane, who was from Wickford, died accidentally after the pair engaged in rough sex that went too far.
A jury in November 2019 rejected that argument and found him guilty.
Jesse Kempson
Along with murdering the 21-year-old backpacker from Wickford, Kempson has been convicted at two further trials in the past three months, of raping a woman he met on the dating app, Tinder, and of a series of offences against a former partner, including sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection, threatening to kill and assault with a weapon.
Kempson attempted to appeal his conviction and sentence, but this was thrown out last month.
He previously could not be named for legal reasons, but this was lifted after his convictions for the other offences.
Read more here.
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