“Anti-Establishment Cult” Members Imprisoned for Coroner Kidnap Plot

Individuals identified as belonging to an “anti-establishment cult” have received prison sentences of up to seven years for their involvement in an attempt to abduct a coroner after forcibly entering a courthouse equipped with handcuffs. Mark Christopher, aged 59, headed the collective that sought to disrupt operations at Essex Coroner’s Court in Chelmsford. This action followed his accusations in April 2023 that senior coroner Lincoln Brookes was “interfering with the dead.” Matthew Martin, 47, along with Sean Harper, 38, and his spouse Shiza Harper, 45, were also members of this group, which held the conviction that they possessed the authority to supersede the United Kingdom’s judicial framework. The four individuals were all handed sentences at Chelmsford Crown Court, following their convictions for conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment. Christopher, whose address is Claremont Road, Forest Gate, east London, was additionally found culpable of dispatching a letter or email with the intention of causing distress or anxiety. He received a seven-year prison term, whereas Sean and Shiza Harper, residing at Benfleet Park Road, South Benfleet in Essex, and Martin, of Evelyn Denington Road, Plaistow in east London, were each given 30-month sentences. Mr Justice Goss stated that the defendants belonged to an “anti-establishment cult” that depended on “non-existent powers” to advance its objectives. A statement from Mr Brookes, presented in court, conveyed that he was “haunted” by the event, which had necessitated him undergoing trauma therapy. His arrival at the court, located in Seax House in Chelmsford city centre, on April 20, 2023, was postponed solely “by chance” due to an unforeseen family commitment. While Mr Brookes was en route to his workplace, his colleague, Michelle Brown, informed him that a group had gained entry to the court during an ongoing inquest and insisted on speaking with him. In his statement, he recounted, “I had to pull over as I was so upset about the incident and thought it was unsafe to continue driving.” He further added, “I frequently have nightmares about the incident and them attacking me at my home.” “I can never feel fully safe in my house or out and about with my wife,” he concluded. The defendants were members of a collective that law enforcement agencies refer to as an “organised pseudolegal commercial arguments” (OPCA) group, typically characterized by its belief that its own legal interpretations override a state’s established legal system. According to testimony heard in court, members had attributed legal powers to themselves, stemming from what they considered to be the “true meanings” of words. The organization identified itself as the Federal Postal Court, also known as the Court of the People. Christopher held the position of the group’s “chief judge,” with Martin and Sean Harper serving as his “sheriffs.” Shiza Harper, who previously served as a special constable with the Metropolitan Police, occupied a “postal inspector” position. The court was informed that the group possessed “many followers across the country and the world” who adhered to “delusional beliefs.” Christopher, who functioned as the group’s “teacher,” sold online courses to them for sums amounting to thousands of pounds. Addressing Christopher, Mr Justice Goss declared: “I am satisfied that you are intelligent, persuasive, manipulative and dishonest.” He continued, “Your group, of which you are the self-appointed leader, preys on the vulnerabilities of others, particularly those in financial difficulties, who you are able to persuade to pay you significant sums of money and to do your bidding.” “You clearly recruited your co-defendants to your ideology [and] took a considerable amount of money from Sean and Shiza Harper,” Mr Justice Goss added. The court was informed that Christopher dispatched multiple letters to Mr Brookes between March 2022 and April 2023, alleging he was a “detrimental necromancer” deserving of corporal punishment, specifically mentioning beatings with cattle prods. A separate letter stated: “Mark Christopher will seek the death sentence for damage and for insidious conduct delivered at the court by the coroner.” Area coroner Michelle Brown, while reading a victim impact statement, expressed that her life had “changed forever” due to the incident. Ms Brown, who was presiding over an inquest when the defendants forcibly entered, stated, “I was extremely scared and feared for my safety.” The group presented several documents, claiming them to be warrants, within the courtroom before departing. They were subsequently arrested later on the same day. Narita Bahra KC, counsel for the Harpers, asserted that they were under Christopher’s “thrall” because of “the level of control and dominance he had.” She further claimed that they had been “on a trajectory of awakening” since the commencement of the trial. Ms Bahra stated that they were “pressured” into paying over £30,000 to participate in online courses conducted by Christopher, which included a “mortgage elimination” scheme. She remarked, “The pernicious veil of the first defendant has impacted every aspect of Mr and Mrs Harper’s life.” During his mitigation, Martin asserted that he had been operating with the endorsement of King Charles III to address “state child trafficking” on behalf of Christopher. He conveyed that he “feels very sorry” for Mr Brookes and Ms Brown concerning the repercussions his actions had on them. Christopher, who maintained silence throughout the legal proceedings, chose not to provide evidence. Detective Chief Inspector Nathan Hutchinson of Essex Police informed BBC News that Christopher was a cult leader and a “radicaliser.” He explained, “He’s very good at manipulating people – people with debts, people with problems have come to him; they’ve signed up to his online courses and believed everything he was doing was legal.” “He’s recruited people, normally unknown to him, and that has resulted in them committing a very serious criminal offence,” he added.