Latest news with #CrownCourt
South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Newport drug dealer had stun gun disguised as torch
Police found the Taser and around £5,000 worth of cannabis while answering a 999 call at the Newport home of Daniel Lloyd over an unrelated matter. The 32-year-old initially claimed a friend had given him the weapon as a torch, prosecutor Alexander Greenwood told Cardiff Crown Court. Lloyd also tried to say that the two bags of cannabis at the address, weighing 38.14g and 8.65g, were for his own personal use. Drug-related messages were also found on his phone after it was analysed by detectives. The defendant admitted possession of a prohibited weapon (disguised firearm), being concerned in the supply of cannabis and possession with intent to supply cannabis. His crimes took place between November 3, 2022 and September 21, 2023. Lloyd, of Torridge Road, Bettws, Newport had 10 previous convictions for 21 offences, including 17 for theft and similar offences. He had no relevant previous convictions. Alice Sykes for Lloyd asked the court to take into account her client's guilty pleas and the lengthy delay by the prosecution in bringing the case to court. The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, told the defendant: 'On September 21, 2023, the police went to a house on Torridge Road over another matter which was not pursued. 'You were arrested and your home was searched. 'Officers found two bags of cannabis weighing 38.14g and 8.65g. 'Mobile phone messages proved that you were selling cannabis directly to users for financial gain – you played a significant role.' She added: 'They also discovered a torch/stun gun – it was functional and fully charged. 'You said that a friend had given it to you as a torch.' The court heard that the minimum prison sentence for possession of a prohibited weapon (disguised firearm) was five years unless there are 'exceptional circumstances'. Judge Lloyd-Clarke stated that this wasn't such a case so he was jailed for five years. He was also sentenced to a consecutive custodial term of four months for the drugs matters. The defendant's total prison sentence was therefore five years and four months of which he must serve half in jail before being released on licence. Lloyd has 313 qualifying days against this term after being on an electronically monitored curfew. He must also pay a victim surcharge.
Western Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Pembroke man jailed for sexually abusing step-daughter
The man – who cannot be named in order to protect the identity of the victim – appeared at Swansea Crown Court charged with sexual activity with a child. Prosecutor Helen Randall told the court that the man had been giving his step-daughter – who was 17 at the time – cocaine 'three to four times a week' in mid-2021. He also sent her a picture of himself naked. For the latest crime and court news for west Wales, you can join our Facebook group here. The defendant, then aged 45, and the girl were taking cocaine together on June 5, 2021. Ms Randall said that, despite the victim protesting and trying to push him away, the man took her clothes off, sexually assaulted her, and then masturbated himself. The court heard the defendant replied 'Sorry x' when the victim messaged him about the incident. The victim disclosed what happened to her partner on June 10, but the police weren't contacted until she told family members in January this year. The defendant was arrested shortly afterwards. 'It has left me traumatised,' the victim said in a statement read out by Ms Randall. 'I wish it would stop and get better.' She added: 'I want to be more than just an abuse victim.' The defendant, now 49, initially denied the offences, but on the day of trial pleaded guilty to two offences of sexual activity with a child. The court heard he was previously of good character. Jon Tarrant, in mitigation, said the defendant 'came to his senses' and pled guilty, but this plea had possibly been delayed due to the social impact and psychological impact of accepting what he had done. 'There was a fair degree of emotional turbulence going on in his life,' he said. 'It was wholly inappropriate and wholly wrong. 'He accepts he must face direct and immediate prison for that.' Judge Huw Rees described the defendant's offending as 'vile', and added that it was 'deplorable' that he had been plying a 17-year-old with cocaine in order to commit the offence. The defendant was jailed for six years and four months. He must register as a sex offender for life, and was made subject to a sexual harm prevention order indefinitely. Judge Rees praised the victim's character in overcoming what the defendant had done to her, and granted her a life-long restraining order.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Brazen Byker thief stole £10,000 piece of art from Newcastle city centre gallery
A piece of art worth almost £10,000 was stolen by a serial crook who walked into a Newcastle gallery and helped himself to it. Christopher Scott, who has more than 100 offences on his record, took the Mr Brainwash Spray Can piece from it's stand, snapped a security cable, and wandered off with it, a court heard. The brazen theft happened at Clarendon Fine Art gallery, in Newcastle city centre, in February last year. Newcastle Crown Court the artwork was valued at £9,950. Now Scott, who also burgled a house and a building site, has been jailed for more than three years. The court heard that in May last year, he stole power tools worth more than £4,000 from a building site on Collingwood Street, Newcastle. He and an accomplice were captured on CCTV and identified. READ MORE: Whitley Bay incident: Updates on emergency response after child gets into difficulty in the sea READ MORE: Child airlifted to hospital after getting into difficulty in the sea at Whitley Bay He also broke into a woman's house in April, stealing a laptop worth £500, £500 of coins and several bottles of spirits. When he was arrested, he was in possession of cocaine. Scott, 44, of The Chevron, Byker, Newcastle, who has 130 previous convictions, including 58 for theft and similar, pleaded guilty to theft of the piece of art, two burglaries and possessing cocaine. He was jailed for a total of 1,240 days. Jonathan Cousins, defending, said: "He's has a long-standing drug addiction since he was a child and he had a difficult upbringing. "He has PTSD as a result of being stabbed in the late 1990s and his life has been marred by custodial sentences, being released in circumstances where he is homeless and returning to drug addiction and offending. He is extremely remorseful, especially for the burglary offence."
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Driver, 83, suffered leg spasm before fatal Skipton crash
An 83-year-old driver who killed a retired police officer when a leg spasm caused him to lose control of his vehicle has been given a suspended McPherson, 80, from Horbury, in West Yorkshire, died after he was hit by a Subaru Forester being driven by Christopher Pattinson in Skipton in March Crown Court heard Pattinson had an involuntary leg spasm moments before the crash, causing him to mount the pavement and run into Mr McPherson on Belmont former Royal Navy officer, from Skipton, was given a two-year jail term, suspended for two years, after he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. North Yorkshire Police said multiple witnesses described how Pattinson's car failed to give way at a junction and continued at speed, before mounting a kerb and hitting Mr wife, Marjorie, who was also injured, said in a victim impact statement they had been married for 56 years, describing him as a "beloved" husband who "was kind, caring, loving and dedicated to his family"."His death was untimely and tragic, and our greatest sorrow is that we were not able to say goodbye to him," she said the incident had shrunk her world and left her "afraid to visit Skipton" and "afraid to drive". The court heard Pattinson, who walks with two sticks due to a neurological condition which affects his mobility, told police that as he put his foot on the accelerator at the junction his leg went into a said it had only happened before when he was at home and never while court heard that professionals treating Pattinson's condition, known as spastic paraparesis, had not advised him to stop Langford, for Pattinson, said her client had been in "total despair" and was truly sorry for the said Pattinson, of The Spinney, in Draughton, near Skipton, had voluntarily surrendered his driving licence a week after the fatal told the court it was of significance he did not "carry on driving against medical advice" and she urged the Recorder of Bradford Jonathan Rose to suspend the inevitable prison Langford highlighted her client's age, his early guilty plea and his caring responsibilities for his wife. 'Unique and exceptional' Judge Rose said he had carefully considered the medical evidence in the case and it was right to observe that no clinician had advised the defendant not to drive."You have surrendered your driving licence and you will never drive again," the judge told Pattinson."To be certain of that I intend to disqualify you from driving for the remainder of your life."The judge explained that the "unique and exceptional" features of the case meant he could pass a sentence outside of the after sentencing, Det Con Laura Cleary, said it had been an "absolutely tragic and needless death"."It highlights the need for everyone to ensure they are fit to drive before getting behind the wheel – regardless of their age." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
South Wales Argus
14 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Newport drug driver was 15 times cocaine limit in Caldicot
Rikki Fuller, 37, from Newport was spotted by a police officer when the defendant was near the Severn Tunnel Junction railway station in Caldicot. He was sweating and slurring his words when he was pulled over when at the wheel of a Ford Focus car at around 2am in the morning on Saturday, July 20 last year. The defendant was also just over the legal limit for driving with cannabis in his blood. These offences put him in breach of a suspended prison sentence imposed just two months earlier for assaulting an emergency worker, criminal damage and possession of cannabis. MORE NEWS: Driver caught speeding at 47mph in 20mph zone Fuller was jailed for 12 weeks, suspended for 12 months, and made the subject of a six-month drug rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Speaking about the offences committed in July 2024, Jac Brown, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court: 'There were obvious signs of impairment due to the defendant driving on the wrong side of the road.' Fuller, formerly of Waltwood Park Drive, Llanmartin admitted driving with a cocaine derivative and a cannabis derivatine in his blood. He had 10 previous convictions for 20 offences including a relevant one for drug driving for which he was banned from driving for 14 months in April 2021. The defendant's barrister Elin Morgan said: 'He had taken cocaine on the day in question before he went to sleep. 'A friend asked him for a lift and he thought he was OK to drive, but he wasn't. 'He clearly wasn't – not even close to it.' Miss Morgan added that her client had responded well to the attachments of his suspended prison sentence and completed them. Fuller was currently homeless, the court was told, and is on the waiting list for council accommodation. He is also working part-time as a landscaper. Judge Celia Hughes told him: 'You were 15 times the legal limit for driving with cocaine – it's odd to think there is a legal limit for driving with cocaine but there is one nonetheless. 'The officer said you were sweating and slurring your speech. 'You could easily have caused a serious accident and not only injured yourself but others.' The judge decided not to sent him straight to prison. She said to him: 'You are in a different place from when you committed these offences.' Fuller was jailed for 16 weeks with the sentence suspended for 12 months. The defendant was banned from driving for four years and ordered to pay a victim surcharge and £150 costs.
