Murderer Jake Rollinson finally learned his fate this month as he was handed a mandatory life sentence for killing young Joseph Whitchurch. Appearing alongside Rollinson in the dock was his girlfriend, former hairdresser Lorna Richardson, who broke down in tears as she was told she was going to prison for perverting the course of justice.
Both Rollinson and Richardson told lies to police after the killing and admitted they had tried to wrong-foot officers. Also now languishing behind bars is Andrius Sidlauskas who stabbed a woman at a property in Tudor Close, Newark. He was jailed after pleading guilty to wounding with intent.
Detective Inspector Craig Hall, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “The victim’s injuries in this case were very serious as a result of this vicious attack by Sidlauskas".
Read about some of the latest cases 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.
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.
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 - the 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.
Man jailed for death by dangerous driving
Craig Baker, of Beechways, Retford, pleaded guilty to the offence following the death of former bus driver Roy Codd, 73, at the Botnay Bay level crossing, Retford, on November 20, 2020. Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday, February 28, the 30-year-old was sentenced to 18 months in prison. He was also disqualified from driving for three years and nine months.
The court heard how Baker approached the Botnay Bay level crossing at Retford at the same time as Mr Codd, who was riding an electric bike from the opposite direction. As the barrier lowered, both moved forward against the red signal, colliding in the middle of the crossing. Mr Codd was subsequently knocked from his bike by Baker’s car.
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, 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.
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.
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.
