Waltham Abbey fence death burglar friend is jailed
The friend of a suspected burglar who died when his neck became trapped in a fence has been jailed.
Stephen Pope, 35, from Waltham Abbey, was found dead in Waltham Abbey earlier in the month.
A post-mortem examination found he had suffocated. At the same time as Mr Pope was found, there was a burglary nearby.
At Chelmsford Crown Court Albert Brinkley, 27, of no fixed address, admitted the burglary and was jailed for 12 months.
Mr Pope died when his neck became trapped between a fence panel and a concrete sheet, Essex Police said.
His family described Mr Pope as a "troubled and tormented soul, with some mental health issues and was fighting many inner demons for most of his life".