Anti-Establishment Gang Jailed for Attempted Kidnap in Essex Court Drama
Four members of a fringe group landed behind bars after a terrifying attempt to kidnap a senior coroner and hijack court proceedings in Chelmsford, Essex. The gang, calling themselves the Federal Postal Court, stormed Essex Coroner’s Court in April 2023, accusing the senior coroner Lincoln Brookes of “interfering with the dead.”
Leader Mark Christopher Gets Seven Years for Kidnap Plot
Mark Christopher, 59, led the wild attack, claiming he and his crew had the power to override the UK legal system. He wasn’t alone. Accomplices Matthew Martin, 47, Sean Harper, 38, and Shiza Harper, 45, were swept up in the plot. All were convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court for conspiracy to kidnap and false imprisonment. Christopher was slammed with a hefty seven-year sentence. The others each received 30 months behind bars.
Cult-Style Control and Money-Making Schemes
The gang’s bizarre claims hinged on twisted interpretations of “true meanings” of words, styling themselves a “court of the people.” Christopher dubbed himself “chief judge” and raked in cash from followers desperate for financial help. His “mortgage elimination” online course drained more than £30,000 from the Harpers alone. Mr Justice Goss dubbed Christopher “intelligent, manipulative, and dishonest,” warning he preyed on the vulnerable for personal gain.
“Christopher was a radicaliser who exploited those with personal struggles, pulling them into serious crimes,” said Essex Police Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Hutchinson.
Victims Left Traumatized
Lincoln Brookes narrowly avoided confrontation but revealed he remains haunted by the ordeal, now attending trauma therapy. He’d been bombarded with threatening letters from Christopher accusing him of necromancy and promising corporal punishment.
Witness Michelle Brown, an area coroner, described the invasion as “life-altering.” She said, “I was extremely scared and feared for my safety.”
The sentencing ends a chilling case showing how dangerous pseudo-legal cults and manipulative charlatans can be when they target the vulnerable and abuse the justice system.
