THE crown courts in Essex have been on full throttle once again this week. Serious crimes have been dealt with by defendants being sentenced, and trials of major alleged crimes have been playing out as well. Here is a rundown of the most serious cases heard at Basildon and Chelmsford Crown Courts this week. Gang 'tried to kill man by setting him on fire' Southchurch Avenue Basildon Crown Court heard that four people allegedly tried to murder the man in Southchurch Avenue, Southend on October 30, 2019. Shocking police body cam footage showed PC Rebecca Halifax attending an emergency call and finding the man with severe burns across his body sat in a bedroom.