Man accused of plot to kidnap coroner tells trial he is ‘man of honour’

A man accused of a role in a plot to kidnap a coroner has told a court he was a “man of honour” and “I deal with state child trafficking”.

Matthew Martin, 47, asked that copies of a book that he brought to Chelmsford Crown Court – which said “JUDICIAL-NOTICE JSO29587168GB” on its front cover – be handed out to jurors.

The book said it was “Your own court of record for every country and every jurisdiction”.

Further text on the cover, which had artwork of a fingerprint on it, said: “The facts that destroy all parliamentary systems, governments & their acts. Volume 1 of 4.”

It said it was written by “:Janine :Linehan.” and “directive by :Mark-kishon :Christopher.” – with Mark Christopher being one of the other defendants who is on trial.

Martin, of Plaistow, east London, became emotional at times while addressing jurors from the witness box.

He said: “What I do for a living, what I do every day when I wake up, I deal with state child trafficking.”

He added that it was “nothing to do with terrorism or cult, it’s strictly facts”.

Martin, Mark Christopher, 58, of Forest Gate, east London; Shiza Harper, 45, of South Benfleet, Essex; and Sean Harper, 38, also of South Benfleet, Essex, are all on trial and all deny conspiracy to kidnap and conspiracy to commit false imprisonment.

The court was previously told the group of four defendants had gone to the coroner’s court in Chelmsford on April 20 2023 in search of Essex senior coroner Lincoln Brookes.

Mr Brookes was not at the court at the time.

Martin told jurors on Monday he had “never ever met Lincoln Brookes”, adding: “I don’t know who Lincoln Brookes is.”

“I went there to do my duties because the judge (Christopher) said they’re not allowed to hold her majesty’s shield,” said Martin.

His co-defendant Harper said, in a transcript of his police interview that was previously read to jurors, that he was a “student” of Mark Christopher, who he described as a “very knowledgeable man”.

Harper said he was part of a group carrying out a “warrant” to “condemn these unlawful buildings that are causing harm to the people”.

He said Christopher was the “chief federal postal court judge” of the “federal postal court”.

The judge who is presiding over the case at Chelmsford Crown Court, Mr Justice Goss, offered Christopher the opportunity to give evidence before Martin chose to enter the witness box.

Christopher kept his eyes closed and his head bowed, as he sat in the secure dock of the court, and did not move when the judge offered him the opportunity to give evidence in his defence.

The judge then offered Martin the opportunity to give evidence and he responded that he would like to and went to the witness box.

Christopher also denies sending threatening letters to Mr Brookes with intent to cause distress or anxiety.

Martin denies assault by beating of security guard Eammon McCormack on April 20 2023, and the criminal damage of his spectacles.

The trial continues.