Murderer, drugs baron, violent offenders and perverts among those facing justice last month

A MAN who bludgeoned his friend to death with a hammer in a 'gratuitous' violent attack following a drunken row has been jailed for life.

Marty Bates carried out the 'vicious and callous” murder before carrying on like normal in the following days.

The 31-year-old let himself into the John Littlewood's Blackhall Colliery home in the early hours of July 26, 2019, before launching the fatal and sustained attack on his prone victim.

Marty Bates

The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Paul Watson QC, told Bates 'whatever he did to upset you' didn't warrant the level of violence he inflicted on him in brutal, ferocious and sustained attack'.

Bates, of Tenth Street, Blackhall Colliery, was told he would serve a minimum of 24 years in custody for murder.

THE man accused of murdering a teenager almost 20 years ago has finally confessed to his crime.

Keith Thomas Joseph Hall is charged with the murder of Rachel Wilson who disappeared on May 31, 2002.

The 62-year-old changed his plea to guilty to manslaughter when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.

The 19-year-old, from Middlesbrough, was last seen in the Southfield Road area of the town.

Nineteen-year-old Rachel’s remains were discovered by a farmer’s son carrying out drainage work on a farm on the outskirts of Middlesbrough, in June 2012.

Keith Hall

Hall, of Lambton Road, Grove Hill, Middlesbrough, previously pleaded not guilty to murder.

He has also admitted living off prostitution and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The defendant was remanded in custody and will appear for sentence on June 29.

A DRUGS baron who continued to run his lucrative cocaine business while on the run in Thailand has had another 14 years added to his sentence.

Jonathan Moorby was involved in running a ‘commercial’ operation flooding the region with the Class A drug after having it transported across the Pennines from another organised crime group working out of Liverpool.

The 51-year-old was sentenced to 15 years in prison in in 2014 for supplying cocaine and amphetamine. He fled the country before the trial and was convicted and sentenced in his absence.

Jonathan Moorby

By August 2015 he was back in the game using encrypted handsets to distribute the orders to his team based in and around Stockton.

A THUG who robbed a pensioner as he made his way home from the pub has been jailed for more than three years.

Michael Royal rode up to the 82-year-old on his bicycle just before midnight on January 4 holding a Stanley knife and told him – 'Give me what you’ve got or I’ll knife you', Teesside Crown Court heard.

The victim was so scared that he told Royal to take what he wanted, and Royal removed his wallet and used his bank cards to pay gas and electricity bills.

The court heard how the scaffolder also attempted to buy £244 worth of goods from Argos.

Michael Royal

The 36-year-old, of Pately Moor Crescent, Darlington but formerly of Pounteys Close, Middleton St George, pleaded guilty to robbery and fraud.

Judge Howard Crowson jailed Royal for three years and one month.

A MAN who drank around eight pints before throwing a baby into the air and dropping it on its head causing catastrophic injuries has been jailed.

Ryan Marsh admitted causing the injuries to the boy when he was looking after the baby.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the youngster suffered a bleed on the brain which has left him suffering from epilepsy and needing to be fed through a tube.

Ryan Marsh

The 24-year-old initially denied causing the injuries but following his and his father's arrest he eventually owned up to his behaviour.

Marsh, of Brockrigg Court, Guisborough, pleaded guilty to assaulting the young child.

A VIOLENT offender has been jailed for life for stabbing a man five times with a ‘Rambo’ knife when Christmas Day celebrations descended into chaos.

Luke Cashman branded the judge a 'f***ing lunatic' as he was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court for wounding with intent.

The violence erupted when Cashman was visiting his mother’s home and he became involved in a confrontation with two men he didn’t want there as he was with his partner and their young son.

Luke Cashman

The court heard how the defendant left the house to grab a knife from his car before returning and stabbing his victim five times – twice in the back outside the house on Dinsdale Road, Hardwick, Stockton.

Cashman, 31, of Mowbray Grove, Stockton, was initially charged with attempted murder but admitted a lesser charge in court of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Christmas Day 2019.

He was sentenced Cashman to life in prison with a minimum term of eight years in jail.

The sentence prompted a foul-mouthed outburst from the defendant who shouted 'Are you mental mate? Have you read the f***ing facts? He's a f***ing lunatic."

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Marsh to two years and four months in prison.

A DRUG driver who caused serious injuries to a young cyclist when he smashed into him at 60mph has been jailed for three years.

Harry Summersgill had taken a cocktail of cocaine, cannabis and ketamine in the hours before he ploughed into the youngster as he cycled to Preston Park with his father.

The boy's parents read out emotional statements to express their anger and pain when Summersgill was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court this morning.

His father, who was wearing a camera as they cycled to the park, recorded the devastating aftermath caused by Summersgill's dangerous driving.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving in connection with a crash involving a white Mercedes Benz and two cyclists on Yarm Road in Eaglescliffe at 7.15am on Sunday, February 28.

Summersgill, of Whitehouse Croft, in Long Newton, Stockton, who was already banned from driving for drug offences, was given an extended ban of six and a half years.

A COUNCILLOR who told 'persistent lies' to cover his mismanagement of a local fireworks event has been given a conditional discharge after admitting misconduct in a public office.

Jon Rathmell's barrister described the offence as a “bizarre set of circumstances” and the judge said the 42-year-old had been trying to impress colleagues rather than being motivated by any financial gain.

The court heard how Rathmell was a chair, then vice-chair, of Nunthorpe Community Council in Middlesbrough, and in 2018 he set about organising the firework display with a budget of £1,500, up from £1,000 the previous year.

Recorder David Kelly accepted there was no financial motivation and said the damage to Rathmell's reputation was punishment enough.

Cllr Jon Rathmell

The judge told him: “You were seeking to impress your colleagues by making promises you were unable to fulfil.”

He was sentenced to a two-year conditional discharge for his 'persistent lies'.

Rathmell, of Mallowdale, Nunthorpe, had pleaded not guilty to three charges of fraud and forgery involving the use of fake invoices submitted to a community council. The prosecution offered no evidence in relation to those allegations and not guilty pleas were recorded.