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16 offenders who were locked up in May – including murderers, violent robber and shoplifter
Defendants who learned their fate in May included two murderers, a shoplifter, a violent robber, who stamped on his victims, and a child rapist. Here Nottinghamshire Live takes a look back on the crimes committed in Nottinghamshire, and one close to the Nottinghamshire border, and the prison sentences offenders received.
Man banned from Tesco and Home Bargains for two years
Shoplifter Thomas Howitt, 24, was banned from entering branches of Tesco and Home Bargains in Hucknall after being charged with six shop thefts. Howitt appeared in court on Wednesday (May 24), having also been charged with the possession of cannabis.
Howitt was imprisoned for four months and was also made the subject of a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO). The order will stop him from entering Tesco Express on Annesley Road and Home Bargains on Ashgate Road. Read the full story here
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Robber stamped on his defenceless victims in street attacks
John Shooter, 30, of no fixed address, was locked up for eight years, and handed two-and-a-half years on extended licence. Nottingham Crown Court heard he robbed two men in Mansfield.
He pleaded guilty to the two robberies, theft, affray in McDonalds, Mansfield, assaulting a police officer, theft of cash, assault, criminal damage, offending during a suspended sentence, and using threatening words and behaviour. He was also sentenced for possessing an offensive weapon – a large nail – using threatening words and behaviour in McDonalds, Clumber Street, Nottingham; theft from Home Bargains, theft from Texaco, Mansfield, and theft from Iceland. Read the full story here
‘Dangerous’ driver led police on lengthy car chase
Dangerous disqualified driver Louis Denham, 26, of no fixed address, crashed a stolen car during a lengthy police pursuit before crashing into a ditch.
Denham pleaded guilty to theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, driving without a licence, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance. He was jailed for 16 months. Read the full story here
Two blades seized from teenager who ran from police
Two blades were seized from 19 year-old Maleek Lindsay after he tried to run away from officers. Lindsay, of Silverhill Close, Strelley, pleaded guilty to two charges of possession of a knife in a public place.
On Wednesday, May 17, he appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court where he was sentenced to six months in a young offenders’ institution. Read the full story here
Man found sleeping in Notts park had 12-inch blade up sleeve
Robert Johnstone, of Shrewsbury Road, Worksop, was found sleeping with a 12-inch knife up his sleeve at The Canch Park, Worksop, at around 2pm on August 31, 2022.
Johnstone, 46, appeared before magistrates in Nottingham on Monday, May 15, after pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article, and was jailed for 20 weeks. Read the full story here
Horrific attack on man was live-streamed
Violent thug Declan O’Donnell was jailed for life for murdering his aunt’s partner. O’Donnell, 24, previously of Mansfield Road, Nottingham, live-steamed the attack on 63-year-old Paul Cox, of Nottinghamshire.
O’Donnell was given a minimum term to serve of 21 years and 272 days before he can be considered for parole after he was convicted of murder on Monday, May 15. Read the full story here
Read more: Violent partner told he has ‘seam of anger’ running through him
Dad beat his son to death then created hide and seek story to cover his tracks
Defendant Michael Harrison, 41, was jailed for life at Derby Crown Court after he punched his 11-year-old son Mikey repeatedly to the body, causing a laceration to the youngster’s liver on June 18, 2022.
Harrison, who was living in Heanor at the time but was more recently of Eaton Terrace in Mapperley, then drove them both to a street close to Shipley Park, close to the Nottinghamshire border, and called an ambulance to say Mikey had fallen out of a tree while playing hide and seek.
As reported by Derbyshire Live, he then cleared the property of all its belongings to cover his tracks, but a witness came forward and told police a different version of how Mikey may have come to his death, resulting in a murder investigation being launched.
Harrison, whose minimum term was set at 21 and a half years, pleaded guilty to murder at a hearing on April 3 at the same court. Read the full story here
Jail term for ‘abusive bully’ who strangled and beat ex-girlfriend
Wesley Cain strangled and beat his former partner. Nottinghamshire Police said Wesley Cain, who also goes by the name of Wesley Blade, also threatened to kill the woman during a six-month campaign of intimidation.
The 33-year-old pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by strangulation, making threats to kill and criminal damage when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday, May 17. He was jailed for a total of four years, and also handed a restraining order which bans him from contacting the victim for 10 years. Read the full story here
Attacker smashed man’s nose with wooden pole in street
Michael Pridmore left his victim, who is in his 40s, with life-altering injuries after smashing his nose with a wooden pole in Newark.
Pridmore, 56, was jailed for 27 months at Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (18 May) after being found guilty of grievous bodily harm. Read the full story here
Face of sex attacker who assaulted woman in hotel corridor in Nottingham
Nottinghamshire Police released an image of the sex attacker who was caught on CCTV assaulting a woman in a hotel corridor. Stefanita Mosescu, aged 42, of Mercer Drive, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to assault by penetration and sexual assault.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday, May 12, he was jailed for seven years and two months, and added to the sex offenders’ register for life. Read the full story here
Burglar who stole booze left fingerprints at the scene
A burglar who stole cash and alcohol after breaking into a restaurant left his fingerprints at the scene. Jonathan Blundell, 34, formerly of Yew Tree Road, Ollerton, smashed a window to gain entry to Bella Vita, in Main Street, Ollerton.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of burglary, causing criminal damage at an address in Forest View, Ollerton, on February 11. In addition, he also pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour towards a woman at the Costcutter store, in Whitewater Road, Ollerton, on February 13. Blundell was locked up for a total of 13 months when he appeared at Nottingham Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday, May 11. Read the full story here
Clifton cannabis growers will be deported to Vietnam
Three men were “gardeners” to a crop of cannabis in Gardendale Avenue, Clifton.
Hieu-Van Duong, aged 37, of no fixed abode, 36-year-old Luc Van Nguyen, of no fixed abode, and Van Duc Ungiyen, aged 43, of Gardendale Avenue, Clifton, all admitted producing cannabis at court.
Ungiyen was jailed for 14 months in prison, and his co-accused received 12 months each, of which they will serve half, before deportation. Read the full story here
Nottingham man jailed after using Twitter to incite terrorism
Ajmal Shahpal, 41, of Radford, used Twitter to encourage others to commit terrorism. He was found guilty by a jury of publishing statements on his Twitter account, between October 15, 2020, and October 30 2020, intentionally encouraging members of the public to commit, prepare, or instigate terrorism.
He was also found guilty of publishing statements on his Twitter account, on September 26, 2020, recklessly encouraging the commission, preparation, or instigation of terrorism. Shahpal was previously convicted after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. On Thursday, May 11, He was sentenced to a total of six-and-half-years in prison and made subject of a 15-year terrorist notification requirement. Read the full story here
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Nottinghamshire child rapist jailed
Richard Stocks, from Sutton-in-Ashfield, assaulted children repeatedly, instructing each of them to remain silent about what had happened. Stocks, 55, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of rape, one of attempted rape, two of sexual assault and two of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Appearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, May 9, he was jailed for 27 years. Read the full story here
Prolific Nottingham thief jailed
Stuart Askey, 39, of Southchurch Drive, Clifton, went on a six-week crime spree targeting shops and vehicles in Nottingham.
He was locked up for 16 weeks at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court after he pleaded guilty to 14 shop thefts and one charge of interfering with a motor vehicle. Read the full story here
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