Although barely halfway through the year, the courts have been busier than ever with 65 offenders learning their fate. From January through to the start of April, 2022, all calibre of criminals have been locked up for crimes including murder, robbery, burglary and fraud.
One of the most shocking cases to go to trial in January was that of Matthew Farmer who smiled and winked to police after stabbing his ex-partner 21 times and tried to strangle her. Stacey Clay, 39, died of her injuries on June 2 last year following the attack in the back garden of her home in Andover Road, Bestwood.
Farmer was convicted of her murder and given a life sentence in his absence with a minimum term to serve of 29 years before an application can be made for parole.
Read more: 'Predator' former football manager threatened to post intimate images of women online
And among the cases in February, serial conman Kevin Castle, 56, of Birkin Avenue in Radcliffe-on-Trent, went to jail. Castle, who was previously nicknamed the "millionaire shoplifter" and the "Casanova conman", went on a year-long crime spree across Nottinghamshire. A court heard the notorious fraudster would break into people's letterboxes and steal their post before creating credit cards in their names.
Read about their cases and dozens more here:
January
Raiders stab brave homeowner
Victim Warren Whaley had been asleep at his home when he was woken by a security light as determined raiders forced their way in through the back door in the early hours of December 3, 2020.
Robbers Tristan Fretwell , 25, of Haydn Road, Sherwood, and Connor Edgar, 20, of Ryton Square, Aspley, stabbed Mr Whaley and fled on a motocross bike before Edgar, who was driving, hit a Post Office van. Fretwell was jailed for six years and nine months for robbery and 26 months concurrently for wounding. He will serve half the sentence and remain on licence for the remainder.
Edgar was handed 32 months in custody for the robbery, six months concurrently for wounding and eight months concurrently for dangerous driving. He was banned from driving for 12 months after his release. Read the full story here
Beer bottle attack on disabled man
John Kemp , 35, of no fixed address, was sent to prison for three and a half years for wounding with intent after he attacked his uncle, who has learning difficulties, with beer bottles on the evening of March 30, 2021. Mr Kemp, 35, was drinking alcohol with his uncle and father at a property before an argument over relatives owing each other money escalated, Nottingham Crown Court heard on January 24.
Kemp, previously of Emmanuel House on Goose Gate, Nottingham. was handed a ten-year restraining order to protect the victim. Read the full story here
Firefighter attacked with metal bar
Reuben Woolley was jailed for three-and-a-half-years after setting fire to his flat and hitting an emergency worker with a metal bar. Woolley, 38, of Helston Drive, Bilborough, started the blaze on Sunday, December 20, 2020. After firefighters went inside, he struck one across his helmet with the metal bar, sending the firefighter to the ground. He bravely got up, but Woolley delivered another blow. Fire crews managed to contain and put out the fire.
At the Bridewell Custody Suite, Woolley also spat at two detention officers. He appeared at Nottingham Crown Court and was sentenced for arson, causing actual bodily harm and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker. Read the full story here
Nottingham man who allowed homes to be used in international drugs ring
Orvil Brown was linked to an international drugs ring which posted large and valuable amounts of cannabis and cocaine to flood the streets of Nottingham. He was jailed for five years on Wednesday, January 5, after a court heard the drugs were sent to addresses linked to him but in fake names and hidden inside parcels of shot glasses, ashtrays and clothing.
His picture was released by Nottinghamshire Police on Thursday, January 6, alongside a photograph of how some of the drugs were hidden inside their illicit cargo destined for the city. Brown, 54, of Pine View, Radford, pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of cocaine and cannabis. Read the full story here
Robber jailed for seven years
Joanne Duke , of Wingbourne Walk, Bulwell, coaxed her way into an 81-year-old’s home before threatening him with a knife. Duke befriended the pensioner by talking to him as he sold items outside his flat.
Two weeks later, when she asked to use his toilet, the 45-year-old stole £250 in cash from his living room and threatened him with the knife. Duke pleaded guilty at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, January 4, and was jailed for seven years. Read the full story here
Man drove armed gang to attack on house
Edmund Mackwar was part of an armed gang that raided a house where cannabis was being grown and attacked the occupant. Mackwar, 31, of Court Wood Lane, Croydon, was the last of the group to be sentenced.
He received six years and seven months at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, January 4, after previously pleading guilty to aggravated burglary.
He was part of a gang of ten who all pleaded guilty to the same charge after they travelled from London in the early hours of the morning of May 20, 2020, to an address on Myrtle Way in Forest Fields. The trip to the city was planned with the purpose of entering the property, dealing with who was inside and removing the cannabis and loading it into a VW van and taking it to London.
Mackwar hired and drove the VW van. Footage was released where they could be seen to smash through the front door of a house. Read the full story here
Cyber hacker jailed
Software engineer Robert Davies was jailed after hacking files of people he knew and complete strangers and using a fake name on Skype accounts. Davies, 32, of Byron Close, Colwick, was sentenced to 26 months in prison and must sign the sex offenders’ register, be subject to a 10-year restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order.
He pleaded guilty to 24 Computer Misuse Act offences, voyeurism, three counts of possessing indecent images of children, making indecent images of children and possessing extreme pornographic images. Read the full story here
Jailed after shotgun fired at rival gang
Jamal Roberts was in a stolen Volkswagen Golf with other men when one of the others fired a shotgun at another car in Roundwood Road. At the time, local residents reported hearing a "really loud bang" in the Roundwood Road and Oxborough Road area.
The shooting was among a series of linked tit-for-tat shootings involving two rival gangs in 2019. Roberts, 23, formerly of Hyson Green, was later arrested along with two other men on June 25, 2019.
Roberts pleaded guilty to a charge of jointly possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence – on the basis that he was in the car at the time the gun was fired and that he helped the other men still in the car to try to get away from the area. Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, January 21, Roberts was jailed for seven years. Read the full story here
Ex-doorman jailed for life for murder
After a trial, Matthew Farmer was convicted of the murder of Stacey Clay after he stabbed her repeatedly and tried to strangle her. Miss Clay, 39, died of her injuries on June 2 last year following the attack in the back garden of her home in Andover Road, Bestwood.
Farmer, of Logan Street, Bulwell, who denied murder, was sentenced in his absence after he is understood to have taken an overdose. His minimum term to serve before parole was set at 29 years of a life term. Read the full story here
Driver found with drugs after high-speed chase
Alistair Cantrill admitted to officers he had "a load of drugs" in the back of his car after being arrested following a 100mph pursuit across the A38 on August 28, 2018. When the now 23-year-old, of Huthwaite Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, was pulled over he told police: “I am going to be honest with you, Sir, there’s a load of drugs in the back of the car.”
Cantrill pleaded guilty to counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply and two counts of possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply. He had previously pleaded guilty to offences of dangerous driving, driving without a licence and driving without insurance at a hearing in September 2020.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, January 6, he was jailed for three years.
Burglar claimed he had 'found car' when caught in stolen vehicle
A burglar was jailed for stealing two vehicles in Wollaton after previously insisting he had “just found a car” when he was stopped by police whilst driving one of them. Marley Blair was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison after admitting to stealing two Mini Coopers during a night-time burglary in Middleton Boulevard, Wollaton.
Following an investigation by Nottinghamshire Police, Blair, 39, of Duke Street, New Basford, pleaded guilty to the burglary and theft of the two cars when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday, January 12.
Jail for man who stole priceless war medals during crime spree
Darren Spencer, of Manor Crescent, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, broke into two different places stealing not only money, a till and binoculars, but also priceless war medals, after smashing into a house in Cowpasture Lane, Sutton-in-Ashfield, on July 7, 2021.
Spencer, 44, was sentenced to 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to two charges of burglary.
February
Robbery victim was threatened with a kitchen fork and a ballpoint pen
Defendant Lee Thompson , 26, wrongly believed that his neighbour had his bank card and it had been delivered by mistake to his Worksop home. Thompson, now of Wilton Street, Townhead, Coatbridge, and more recently in HMP Nottingham, threatened him and pushed a kitchen fork to his throat and then he picked up the ballpoint pen and pressed it against his temple with enough force to hurt him.
Thompson, described in court by Judge Steven Coupland as the "ringleader" in the attack, was jailed for five years and three months for robbery, six weeks concurrently for a separate burglary and one month consecutively for a bail act offence. Read the full story here.
Thug delivered 'sucker punch' in drink-fuelled crime spree
Lynden Brown embarked on a drink-fuelled spree of violence where he delivered a "sucker punch" to a Good Samaritan at a pub and attacked a police officer. Brown, 39, of Fleming Gardens, Clifton, also hit a vulnerable man twice.
His shocking catalogue of crimes happened when he was subject to a suspended sentence for dangerous driving and drink-driving. Taking into account Brown's pleas of guilty, the judge imposed a total of two years in prison, of which he will serve half and the rest on licence.
Six months was imposed for assault, causing bodily harm at the pub, six months consecutively for assaulting the police officer and three months consecutively for common assault. He received three months concurrently on a criminal damage charge, where he repeatedly punched his partner's door.
Nine months consecutively was imposed from the previous suspended sentence. Read the full story here.
Notorious conman stealing from letterboxes across Nottinghamshire
Kevin Castle, 56, of Birkin Avenue in Radcliffe-on-Trent, went to multiple people's homes around the county and accessed their postbox located a distance away from their property. He broke into these letterboxes, stealing post and creating credit cards in his victim's name so he could withdraw money and fund his own lifestyle.
He pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud by false representation and one count of theft and was sentenced to four years and eight months imprisonment at Nottingham Crown Court. Read the full story here.
Face of man who beat woman in drunken attack
Scott O’Hare, 48, of Westfield Lane, Mansfield, was drunk when he beat his victim at an address in the same town. O’Hare later pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm and drink driving.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, February 3, he was jailed for two years and three months. Read the full story here.
Man told police 'I've done something stupid' after bedroom fire
Lee Bramley admitted starting a fire in his bedroom at a shared accommodation in Chesterfield Road, Mansfield. After lighting the fire, Bramley then locked his bedroom door and left.
He went straight to Mansfield Police Station just 22 minutes later and admitted to the arson – telling officers: “I’ve done something stupid." Firefighters were called out to the supported housing building after being made aware by other residents of the blaze on July 25 last year, which didn’t result in any injuries but did cause around £700 of damage.
Bramley, 51, was charged with reckless arson. He was sentenced to two years and eight months in jail. Read the full story here.
Accounts clerk swindled nearly £25k from employer
Jill Cannon, 63, of Winthorpe Road, Newark, was employed by Mori Lee (UK) Ltd and Royal Joyce International Ltd, Northgate Terrace, Northern Road, Newark, which are both separate bridal wear companies. The accounts clerk moved nearly £25,000 into her bank account after finding a loophole in the system which allowed her to do so.
Cannon pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position after appearing at Nottingham Magistrates' Court on April 13 last year. She was jailed for 12 months at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, February 28, for fraud by abuse of position. Read the full story here
Ambush killers learn how long they will spend in prison
Four men convicted of murdering Byron Griffin, of East Leake, will serve a minimum of 25 years each behind bars. Jordan Fairbrother, Dylan Geary, Daniel Lewsley and Grant Masterson were all found guilty following a six-week trial at Derby Crown Court, Derbyshire Live reports.
Geary, 22, and Lewsley, 32, will serve a minimum of 25 years behind bars before being eligible for parole, while Masterson, 29, will serve a minimum of 26 years and Fairbrother, 26, a minimum of 27 years. The victim, 22, was found with two stab wounds in Eyre’s Garden, Ilkeston, at around 12.40pm on Sunday, July 4, last year.
Mr Griffin was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham where he was declared deceased shortly after 2pm. It was the prosecution's case that Jordan Fairbrother stabbed the deceased twice with a kitchen knife and the other three defendant's encouraged him to inflict the fatal stab wounds. Read the full story here
Man caught with 'bag full of stolen goods' from Poundland
Carl Pearson was caught stealing from Poundland in Main Street, Bulwell, at around 1pm on February 17. Pearson, 38, was found with a black holdall bag filled with stolen goods, including shampoo, worth £62.50.
Pearson, of Gaul Street, Bulwell, was charged with theft and pleaded guilty at a hearing before city magistrates on February 18. He was sentenced to five months in prison for his offending. Read the full story here
Man set fire to community allotments
Nathan Smith, of no fixed address, committed the crime at the Lane End allotments, off Mansfield Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield, at about 9.30pm on May 14, 2021. The 31-year-old was absent from Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, February 25, where he was given a five-year prison sentence.
He was convicted of two charges of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered. Smith was also charged with a count of racially aggravated assault. He was given a consecutive sentence of three months. Read the full story here
Victim lost 5 teeth in attack
James Chandler, 31, got into an argument with his victim during a visit to a hostel in Rosemary Street, Mansfield, on November 29 last year. Chandler, of Langford Road, Mansfield, shoved the man into a wall and punched him.
In a bid to escape, the man fled through the window before falling and shattering his ankle. The victim lost five teeth in the incident and was taken to Queen’s Medical Centre where he had surgery for an open ankle fracture.
Chandler admitted assault causing serious harm on a reckless basis He appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, February 24, and was jailed for two years and four months. Read the full story here
Mums part of dial-to-order drugs ring with 50,000 calls a year
Two mums and one of their boyfriends went to jail for their roles in a dial-to-order drugs conspiracy targeting students. The sentencing came after others have been locked up in a prolific drugs supply business where both Class A and Class B drugs were flogged primarily to students in Nottingham through dedicated "drug lines".
Mother-of-two Rabeena Kausser, 34, of Soudan Drive, The Meadows, played a significant role in the operation, Nottingham Crown Court heard on Friday, February 25, as she was jailed for six years for conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs Heavily-pregnant Heather McGrory, who has an 18-month-old girl, worked at a takeaway and started giving lifts before running round Class B drugs and later Class A.
McGrory, 28, of Larch Gardens, Bulwell, was jailed for five years after she pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy. Kieran Neilson, 22, of Aspley Lane, Nottingham, was found guilty after trial and was jailed for eight years. Read the full story here
Face of teen thug who was locked up for assaulting Forest players
A lifelong Leicester City fan shamed the sport by hitting three Nottingham Forest players during the team’s FA Cup clash with Leicester City. Cameron Toner, 19, of Leicester, pleaded guilty to three charges of assault by beating and going onto a playing area at a football match.
Appearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on February 24, he was sentenced to four months in youth custody. Toner was also fined £100 for going on to the pitch and has been banned from attending matches for ten years following a football banning order being imposed. He was also ordered to pay £128 victim surcharge and £85 court costs. Read the full story here
Tills and fruit machines targeted in Notts pub break-in
Tills and fruit machines were targeted and money was stolen during the burglary at The White Swan in Devonshire Square, Sutton-in-Ashfield. The landlord had closed the pub for the night at around 11.30pm on July 1 last year and awoke at around 7.15am and found what had happened.
Fingerprints belonging to Natasha Clark, of Hibbert Crescent, Sutton-in-Ashfield, were later found at the scene. The 41-year-old was subsequently arrested and pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary. She was jailed for 15 months when she appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, February 22. Read the full story here
Man jailed after stealing delivery van and spitting in police vehicle
Jamie Kettle, 35, waited for the driver to leave his van unoccupied at around 2.45pm, October 2, 2021, as he went to place a parcel on a doorstep before launching into the driver’s side and attempting to drive away. Kettle, of Queen Street, Worksop,, made it around three metres down the street before he was stopped by the victim in Shrewsbury Road, Worksop,
He managed to take a hold of the steering wheel to get him to stop and pull over. After being arrested, Kettle was then reported to have spat in the back of the police van. Kettle, who pleaded guilty to taking a vehicle without consent and criminal damage to property, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, February 18. He was jailed for a total of 34 weeks.
Man who spat at woman, grabbed her hair & punched her in the face
Police released a photo of a domestic abuser who spat in a woman's face, grabbed her hair and punched her in the face. Arturas Abramovas, 35, attacked her at an address in Newark on July 23 last year, having ignored a restraining order.
Abramovas, of Boundary Road, Newark, went on to plead guilty to charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, criminal damage and harassment and admitted to breaching a restraining order. He was locked up for two years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on February 22. Read the full story here
Man repeatedly slashed woman in the face with knife
Shane Cartledge, 38, slashed a woman across the cheek, head and shoulder with a kitchen knife in Mansfield. Cartledge was found guilty by a jury of causing grievous bodily harm to his victim.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, February 18, Cartledge, of Crich View, Newton, Alfreton, Derbyshire, was sentenced to 11 years, with a requirement to serve two-thirds. Read the full story here
Man attacked his ex-partner
John Cross, 35, was arrested at a property in Clifton following the assaults, which took place on September 23 and 25, 2021. Nottingham Crown Court heard the woman had ended her relationship with Cross in August 2020, due to his violent behaviour, but that he would not leave her alone.
Cross, of Fletcher Terrace, Mapperley, pleaded guilty to assault by occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating, two counts of criminal damage and four breaches of a restraining order. He appeared for sentence on Thursday, February 17, and was jailed for one year and nine months. Cross is now on a ten-year restraining order. Read the full story here
Man jailed for 22 years
Ian Hensworth, 63, of Hartley Road, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, was convicted of attempted murder after a jury deliberated for 70 minutes at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday, February 16. As he was sentenced to the 22 years, of which he will serve two-thirds before he is liable for release, the judge said: "It was a determined and premeditated attempt."
March
Smiling BMW driver knocked down courier
Callum Wardle , 31, of Gibb Street, Long Eaton, was locked up for 12 months when he was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, March 25. He received a two-and-a-half year driving ban.
Wardle pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He knocked down his victim, a van driver, who had stopped after Wardle had repeatedly flashed his lights and beeped his horn.
Wardle drove at speed, knowing the man was in front of him, after he got out of his van, but he had not intended to injure him. He knocked him down and drove off. Read the full story here.
Serial shoplifter jailed
Aaron Kelly, 32, stole a range of food and household items from shops along Southchurch Drive in Clifton during a month-long stealing spree. He lifted detergent, washing tablets and high-quality steaks and meat joints before being caught.
Appearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 21, Kelly was sentenced to 26 weeks in prison. He pleaded guilty to nine counts of theft, two counts of attempted theft, assault and possessing a class B substance. Read the full story here
Woman was attacked and threatened with crossbow
Mark Love, 51, barged into his victim’s home in November last year before dragging her across the floor and assaulting her. She was left with black eyes and bruising following the attack.
Just a few weeks later, on December 30, residents witnessed Love pull a crossbow from his car boot, pointing it at the woman's home in Newark. Love, of Cleveland Square in Newark, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, March 21, where he pleaded guilty to charges of affray, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and possession of an offensive weapon. He was jailed for 22 months. Read the full story here
Dealers posed as key-workers to smuggle cocaine during lockdown
Two Nottingham men who posed as key workers in order to transport and sell millions of pounds worth of cocaine during lockdown were jailed. Stephen Lees, of Bilborough, and Matthew Whorlow, of Strelley, took part in an international operation, collecting drugs coming from Europe and distributing them around the UK in 2020, a court heard.
They ran the operation from a small flat in Bulwell, with Lees recruiting Whorlow, a highways worker, to provide cover when national Covid restrictions threatened to strangle his operation. Between March and June 2020 regional detectives established that the pair had supplied cocaine with a street value of more than £4.5million to organised criminal gangs in Nottinghamshire, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.
Appearing at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, March 25, Lees, of Hoylake Crescent, was jailed for 13 years and two months. Whorlow, 40, of Goldham Road, was jailed at an earlier hearing for ten years and nine months. Read the full story here
Face of charity box thief called 'the very worst of humanity'
Calvin Henry, aged 56, of Querneby Road, stole a charity box for the Ukraine appeal, prompting the pub owner to label him 'the very worst of humanity'. Henry was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison after pleading guilty to burglary.
As well as the Ukraine charity box, Henry stole a box containing cash in aid of a stroke unit after entering the pub It’s Inn the Bank in Victoria Road, Netherfield, during the afternoon of March 15. He was also charged with committing fraud by false representation in connection with separate allegations regarding use of a stolen bank card at a store in the Radford area of Nottingham on February 25.
This earned him an extra six weeks behind bars. At court, Henry was ordered to pay £200 compensation for the charity box and £78.98 for the fraud. Read the full story here.
Pub chef drank pints and wine before crashing into motorcyclist
Drink driver Johann Payne, of Nottingham Road, Ravenshead, caused life-altering injuries to a motorcyclist, a court was told. Payne drank two pints of alcohol and a glass of wine before she got behind the wheel of her Mini and hit the victim.
Payne, 62, who pulled out of The Hutt car park, Ravenshead, where she works as a chef, admitted drink-driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. She was jailed for nine months and banned from the roads for three years and four-and-a-half months. Read the full story here.
Facebook friend tried to strangle woman and issued fire threat
A friendship which began on Facebook turned sinister when a man repeatedly attacked a woman and tried to strangle her. David Richard Smith had met his victim on the online social media platform three months earlier.
Cocaine addict Smith, 32, of John Woodhead Court, Mansfield, admitted assaulting, causing bodily harm and common assault on her. He also pleaded guilty to a common assault on the neighbour, causing criminal damage, and a Bail Act offence. His total sentence was two years, and he is now subject to a five-year restraining order. Read more here.
£220,000 worth of cannabis found after police raid
Police found more than £220,000 worth of cannabis at farms in two houses next to each other in Laurel Avenue, Mansfield. Around 350 plants were found growing across 10 different rooms.
Cannabis grower Albian Daja was found to be tending the plants at one of the two neighbouring houses. He appeared before Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday, March 17, having pleaded guilty to the production of a class B drug. Daja, of no fixed address, was sentenced to one year and eight months in prison. Read more here.
Boyfriend left partner for dead after setting her on fire
Leigh Pateman, 43, left his Nottingham girlfriend for dead after setting her on fire and leaving her with 80 percent burns. He poured petrol over his 42-year-old girlfriend and ignited it with his lighter following a row at their flat in Skegness.
The victim, who was originally from Nottingham, then suffered horrific burns after Pateman lit his lighter as she sat in a lounge chair. When emergency services arrived at the shared property in Firbeck Avenue on April 22 last year, Pateman had already fled, Lincolnshire Live reported.
The court heard the victim suffered serious injuries to her eyes and lost several fingers, and has recently been transferred to Nottingham City Hospital. She can only walk a few steps with a frame.
Pateman, of Firbeck Avenue, Skegness, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent on April 22, 2021. He was sentenced to a term of 17 years and ten months in prison and must serve a further four years on licence after his release, making a total extended sentence of 21 years and 10 months. Read the full story here
Bullying son scalds his mum, 82, with boiling water from kettle
Donald Washington Hayles, 50, splashed boiling water from a kettle on his elderly mum and headbutted her when he was dependant on 20 cans of strong lager a day as well as illegal drugs. Hayles, 50, now of Cliff Road, Lace Market, attacked his 82-year-old mum on two separate occasions.
Hayles received 32 months for the boiling water assault on his mum and 12 months in prison consecutively for the earlier assault. He received two months for a separate offence of assaulting a police officer and possessing crystal meth in Clumber Street, Nottingham, on December 13 last year.
A six-month consecutive sentence was imposed for breaching a suspended prison sentence. His total sentence was four years and two months, of which he will serve half. On his release, a restraining order is in place to prevent contact with his mum. Read the full story here.
Man is jailed over stabbing
A woman suffered stab wounds to her liver, stomach, chest and arm after she was attacked on the morning of July 7 last year. She was at a property in Tudor Close, Newark, taking a food delivery into the kitchen when she was stabbed by her partner’s brother, Andrius Sidlauska, 34.
Sidlauskas, of Tudor Close, went on to plead guilty to wounding with intent. He was jailed for four years when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, March 11, 2022.
Man caught with Class A drugs hidden in his underpants
Richard Wigman hid drugs in his underpants after being searched by police following a vehicle stop. More drugs were found on the floor where Wigman was standing after the car he was driving was stopped by officers in Lillington Drive, Bulwell. Wigman, 29, was arrested and forensic tests on drugs seized confirmed them to be cocaine and ecstasy. A large quantity of cash and mobile phones were also found after Wigman was stopped at around 4pm on November 5, 2019.
Wigman, of Beckett Court, Gedling, went on to plead guilty to supplying a Class A drug and possession with intent to supply a Class A drug. He was jailed for two years and four months when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Monday, March 7. Read the full story here.
Fake gun fired in Sneinton street during iPhone robbery
Ausama Butt got out of a car and grabbed a man and forced him into an alleyway in Ladysmith Street, Sneinton. He demanded his phone or, "I will shank you". Shank is slang for knifing someone. Judge Julie Warburton sentenced Butt on the basis he did not in fact have a knife but, she said, he had continued to hold the man's chest and neck on March 23, 2020. The victim handed over his phone.
Butt's unidentified associate had with him an imitation gun and it was discharged. Butt had pleaded guilty to robbery, receiving five years and two months for that offence, and to possessing an imitation firearm - where he received five years and two months concurrently. He also received a four month consecutive term for a separate affray 12 months earlier. The firearm charge was admitted although Butt was not the gunman.
Twelve months before the attack, Butt, 26, of St Stephen's Road, Sneinton, had been in a group who targeted Pepe's Piri Piri in Sneinton Dale on its grand opening day in an unprovoked attack. Butt leant weight to the incident but did not have a weapon. Read the full story here
Man jumped into canal to escape robbers
A 62-year-old lone man jumped into a freezing canal when faced with two drugged-up criminals on a canal towpath. The terrified victim resorted to fleeing into the Chesterfield Canal, in Worksop, in desperation when he was confronted by the pair.
Jonathon Bran, aged 19, from Nuthall Road, Nottingham, Cameron Hemmings, aged 21, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to two attempted robberies, robbery and possessing an offensive weapon - a knuckle duster, all on December 2 last year. Hemmings received 44 months in prison, because of his previous convictions, and Bran, who had no previous convictions, received 40 months in youth custody. Read the full story here.
Man assaulted woman and threatened to kill her
Grzegorz Dytrych, 36, punched a woman in the face and hit her with a metal pole during separate attacks. He also followed her to different locations over an eight-day period.
It happened despite the woman having a restraining order against him. Dytrych, of Randal Gardens, Hyson Green, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, March 4, having pleaded guilty to two counts of assault, four counts of harassment and breaching of a restraining order, as well as charges of making threats and criminal damage. He was sentenced to five years in prison and handed a renewed restraining order. Read the full story here.
Face of Nottingham man who hid cocaine in his shoes
Aban Ahmed, 33, of Independent Street, Radford, went to jail after police stopped a car and discovered a range of class A drugs. Police were driving along Mansfield Road, Nottingham city centre, when intelligence led them to pull over a Citroen C3. On getting out of the car, the driver was seen to drop a black cloth bag and officers continued to search him.
The search led officers to find and recover a large quantity of suspected class A drugs, which he had hidden in his shoes, and around other parts of his body and clothing. The drugs were later confirmed to be cocaine and diamorphine He pleaded guilty to two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and was sentenced to three years in prison this month. Read the full story here
Murderer jailed for life over the killing of 16-year-old Joseph Whitchurch
Jake Rollinson was sentenced to life, with a minimum term of 19 years to serve before he can apply for parole. The 21-year-old, of Hickings Lane, Stapleford, was convicted of the murder of Joseph Whitchurch after a trial last September.
He stabbed Joseph in the kitchen of his home on Boxing Day morning in 2020. Joseph died on December 29. Rollinson was also sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, March 11, with girlfriend Lorna Richardson, of Blake Road in Stapleford, who pleaded guilty with Rollinson to perverting the course of justice.
She was jailed for two years. Rollinson received a concurrent sentence of three years. Both had lied to police after the stabbing which happened as Richardson sat in her car outside. Read the full story here.
Former CPS worker in dressing gown hit teen with baseball bat
Two armed intruders wearing their dressing gowns turned up at the hostel home of a teenager who they had a connection with through drugs, a court heard. Former CPS worker Suzana Palmer and her boyfriend, Luke Chapman, were captured on "disturbing" CCTV going into the victim's home in the dead of night.
Chapman forced his way in with a wrench, followed by Palmer, with a baseball bat, on May 31, 2021. A hooded Palmer appeared, after helping herself to the victim's rucksack and coat, and hit the victim, who was 17 years old, at least 29 times with the wooden bat.
Chapman, 32, was sentenced for aggravated burglary with the intention of inflicting grievous bodily harm with a wrench. He was sent to prison for six years and eight months. He received a four-year period on extended licence on his release.
Palmer, 37, whose address with Chapman was Stevenson Crescent, Sutton-in-Ashfield, was given six years in prison. She admitted aggravated burglary with intent to steal and assault, causing bodily harm.
Heavily pregnant woman savagely attacked by ex-partner
A heavily pregnant woman curled up in a foetal position in the street after a savage attack at the hands of her ex-partner and father-to-be. Jordan Plummer kicked off when she stopped him taking the television when they broke up.
Judge Steven Coupland jailed Plummer, 29, of Surbiton Square, Cinderhill, for 21 months and imposed a restraining order. Plummer denied offences of assault, causing bodily harm, two common assaults, and an offence of criminal damage, but he was convicted before magistrates, and sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court.
Criminal jailed after stealing from elderly
Liam Schneider, 46, had been preying on the elderly and vulnerable for much of the last decade, mostly by asking to borrow money he had no intention of repaying. Schneider, who has multiple convictions for theft and fraud, came to police attention again after a string of similar offences at the start of 2021.
Schneider later pleaded guilty to one count of robbery and five counts of fraud in relation to offences in Basford. He also pleaded guilty to a further 16 fraud offences and two burglaries committed in Derbyshire.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, March 25, he was jailed for ten years and three months. Read the full story here
April
Notts 'Tinder Swindler' told lies to scam woman out of £150,000
A romance scammer wove an elaborate web to defraud a woman out of £150,000 in the name of love. Penniless asylum seeker Frank Adozi is actually gay - but he targeted this one woman and many more - to get his hands on their cash.
Adozi, 32, of Kneeton Vale, Sherwood, had a fake profile on dating website "Our Time" of a middle-aged oil rig worker in search of love. But it was all lies. Using the false name Mark McCarthy, he was also attracting women to give him their cash on Tinder and other online sites and amassed a further £40,000 from them.
Adozi was jailed for four years after admitting fraud involving the main victim, and asked for six further frauds - some successful, some not - to be taken into consideration, as well as two money laundering offences. He was handed a restraining order for five years. Read the full story here
Drug deal gone wrong ended with man stabbed over £90 of cannabis
Two defendants were locked up after a man was stabbed twice with a large combat knife over a £90 deal of cannabis. Friras Al Jalam, 19, of Byfield Close, Radford, and Adrian Polok, 20, of Alfreton Road, Radford, visited Marciej Rewers before the stabbing.
Jalam pleaded guilty to robbery on June 10 of Mr Rewers of cash, cannabis and a bank card, and possessing the knife in Belper Road. He was locked up for four years and one month. Polok pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing the knife, and was sentenced to three years and seven months in custody.
The court previously heard it was Al Jalam who started the robbery and Polok who "is the stabber". Read the full story here
Burglar ransacked family home just after they moved in
A serial burglar has been jailed after he targeted a family just two weeks after they moved to Nottinghamshire. Jonathon White broke into their new house and stole a haul of expensive items including a laptop, video cameras and jewellery.
White, of Raylawn Street, Mansfield, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday, April 7, and was jailed for two years and five months after pleading guilty to one count of burglary.
Disqualified drink driver slurred words after being pulled over
Anthony Smedley, 30, was spotted by officers in an unmarked police car as he drove away from a filling station without paying in the early hours of Monday, April 4. He was pulled over a short time later in Willowbridge Lane, Sutton-in-Ashfield, and found to be slurring his words. He then failed a roadside breath test and was arrested.
Appearing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 5 he pleaded guilty to making off without payment, drink driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance. He was jailed for 20 weeks.
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