DRUG dealers, sex offenders and violent thugs were among those facing justice at Teesside Crown Court last month.

Leon Parkinson

A GUNMAN started a 'wild west' shoot-out when he blasted the home of a man who has since been allegedly murdered.

Leon Parkinson targeted convicted drug dealer Carl Eland's home with the improvised 20-bore shotgun before being chased down the street by his intended victim – who had armed himself with an air pistol.

A weapon charge against Eland, who police believe was murdered in a deliberate hit and run, has been formally dropped following his death.

Two men have subsequently been charged with murder.

The violence flared just after 9pm on June 2 when Parkinson arrived at the Middlesbrough address on the back of a motorbike before firing at the front door of the terraced property in North Ormesby.

The Northern Echo: Leon ParkinsonLeon Parkinson

The 20-year-old was then captured picking up the shotgun cartridges fired from the homemade ‘slam-gun’ before getting back on the motorbike and riding away.

Parkinson, of Outram Street, Middlesbrough, eight years and four months for the shooting.

 

Daniel Burn

 

A FORMER youth team football coach is back behind bars after he was convicted of sexually abusing a young boy when he was a teenager himself.

Daniel Burn used a fake profile on social media to get the attention of his victim before encouraging him to take part in sexual activity on numerous occasions over a three month period in 2014.

The 28-year-old was sentenced to eight years in custody in 2015 after he used his connections in youth football and with a local cricket team to target some of his victims on the internet, trying to incite them into meeting him for sex.

Teesside Crown Court heard the latest allegations occurred at around the same time as the offences he admitted to previously.

The Northern Echo: Daniel BurnDaniel Burn

The court heard how Burn's sent the youngster pictures of his genitals before persuading the him to meet up and he carried out a number of sexual offences.

Burn, of Hawkesbury Mews, Darlington, was convicted of eight sexual offences following a trial earlier this year.

Judge Timothy Stead jailed Burn for five years.

 

Jonathan Evis

 

AN arsonist who has set his own home alight on three occasions has been jailed for more than two years.

Jonathan Evis deliberately started the latest fire in the bedroom of his Stockton home in May this year.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 29-year-old had done exactly the same thing on Christmas Eve 2019 and again in January this year.

Evis, of Melrose Drive, Stockton, pleaded guilty to causing arson wile being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

The Northern Echo: Jonathan EvisJonathan Evis

Andrew Turton, in mitigation, said the 29-year-old had struggled with mental health problems and cocaine addiction but is 'realistic' about the likelihood of a custodial sentence and asked the judge to pass the shortest sentence possible.

Judge Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, jailed Evis for two years and four months for deliberately starting the fire.

"It was quite clear that the main seat of this fire was in a bedroom which had been caused intentionally by a naked flame being introduced to flammable articles and the photographs show that there was extensive damage caused to the property and the risk to life was obvious," he said.

 

Matthew Pattison

 

A CHILD rapist who destroyed the lives of his two young victim has been locked up for 18 years.

Matthew Pattison repeatedly raped and sexually abused the young girls over a number of years before his victims plucked up the courage to speak out.

The 28-year-old carried out the sickening abuse on both victims when they were under 13, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Nick Adlington, prosecuting, said Pattison's crimes finally came to light in 2019 when one of his victims broke down and told a school education officer about what he did to her.

Pattison, of Crestwood, Middlesbrough, was found guilty of 14 offences against the two young girls, including multiple rapes and serious sexually assaults.

The Northern Echo: Matthew PattisonMatthew Pattison

Recorder David Gordon told Pattison he had used 'emotional blackmail' to control his two victims.

He added: "These are grave offences, which have had a devastating affect on these two young women for the rest of their lives.

"You robbed them of their innocence, you ruined their childhood and the damage will be long lasting."

Pattison will be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely, and was made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

He was also given an indefinite restraining order.

 

Gang attack

 

A ROW over a £20 debt ended with a gang of armed men forcing their way into a couple's home before hitting a woman over the head with a hammer.

Austen Moore, Heath Randall senior and Heath Randall junior, armed themselves with a hammer, wooden bats and a metal pole before smashing the front door and windows to get into the house in January this year.

In a victim impact statement she said the attack 'dramatically' impacted on her life and she suffered from nightmares that they 'are coming to get me'. The woman required stitches to her head wound and still suffers from headaches.

All three pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding.

Shaun Dryden, for Moore, of no fixed abode, said his client was homeless at the time of the attack and felt remorse as the couple had given shelter and food previously.

The Northern Echo: Austen MooreAusten Moore

Paul Abrahams, for Randall Snr, 55, of HMP Durham, accepted that his client is currently on licence recall for previous offences and will remain in that position for some time.

The Northern Echo: Heath Randall SnrHeath Randall Snr

Tom Bennett, for Randall Jnr, 35, of Thorntree Avenue, Middlesbrough, said he didn't use the hammer but accepted responsibility for his role in the attack and does have an 'unenviable record'.

The Northern Echo: Heath Randall JnrHeath Randall Jnr

Moore, 24, was jailed for 32 months, Randall Jnr was jailed for 34 months while his father was sentenced to 37 months in custody.

 

Daniel Yule

 

A 'NARCISSISTIC' rapist who left his victim fearing for her life after he threatened her with a hammer and knife has been jailed for 14 years.

Daniel Yule subjected his victim to violence and intimidation to satisfy his perverted needs, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The 34-year-old placed the weapons on the bed before attacking his victim and leaving her begging to die.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said Yule had destroyed her life and left her traumatised.

Yule, of Cranmore Road, Middlesbrough, was found guilty of three counts of rape and one sexual assault offence following at trial.

The Northern Echo: Daniel YuleDaniel Yule

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Yule to 14 years in custody for the violent and brutal rapes of the victim after taking the case to trial.

He said: "You were offering a choice symbolised by three symbols – a ring, a knife or a hammer – telling her should could either chose a beating with a hammer; stabbed to death with the knife; or rape.

"She asked for death but you replied 'that won't be any fun – I'm going to rape and beat you'."

 

Steven Thompson

 

A MAN who racially abused his neighbour and threatened him with a 10-inch knife has been jailed for 'truly disgraceful' behaviour.

Steven Thompson hurled the vile abuse at his victim after they got into a dispute over noise and parking at the block of flats where they both lived.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 49-year-old raised a number of issues with the man before the row descended into threats of violence.

Ben Thomas, prosecuting, said the defendant sent a message to the victim saying 'I'm a trained killer and I will use it if I have to' before sending a racial slur to the victim.

The Northern Echo: Steven ThompsonSteven Thompson

The court heard how Thompson had previous conviction for violence and neighbour disputes, including threatening one person with an axe and threatening to throw toxic liquid over another person.

Thompson, formerly of Crocus Court, Colburn, near Catterick, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment and threatening behaviour following the events of February and April.

Judge Jonathan Carroll sentenced him to two years in custody.

"This was truly disgraceful conduct by you against your neighbour, motivated to a very large degree to a racial antipathy. You were living in a block of flats and there always has to be a degree of give and take between neighbours living in such close proximity," he said.

 

Drugs gang

 

A GANG of drug dealers have been locked up after a courier was stopped with half a kilo of cocaine and two kilos of cannabis worth £70,000.

Drug courier Joanne Cooke was pulled over on the A19 near Crathorne, Yarm, in April 2016, and her arrest led to the dismantling of a network shipping kilos of drugs from the North West to the streets of Teesside on a least 70 occasions.

Liverpool drug kingpin Dennis Dawrant Jnr, 43, was brought down after his courier was stopped by Cleveland Police, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The judge heard how police estimated that the organised crime gang brought at least £1m worth of drugs into the Teesside area.

His father, Dennis Snr; ‘warehouseman’ Edward Metcalfe; Alan McCaig; and Stephen Folan, were all sentenced for their role in the million-pound enterprise.

The court heard how the gang, predominantly based on Merseyside, would regularly bring cocaine and cannabis into Teesside with the drugs being dropped off with members of a supply network operating in the area.

Two of the couriers, Cooke and Folan, travelled across the Pennines on up to 20 occasions each.

All of the defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs apart from Folan who was found guilty following a trial.

The Northern Echo: Crime gang brought £1m worth of drugs into the regionCrime gang brought £1m worth of drugs into the region

Dawrant Jnr, of Capricorn Crescent, Liverpool, was jailed for 12 years; 62-year-old father, of Vale Street, Denbigh, was jailed for eight years and six months; Metcalfe, 60, of Green Bank Drive, Liverpool, was also sentenced to eight years; McCaig, 64, of Fine View Crescent, Stranraer, was sentenced to five years and four months; Cooke, 36, of Trentham Avenue, Liverpool was jailed for four years and eight months; and 37-year-old Folan, of Northumberland Street, Liverpool, was sentenced for seven years and six months.

On the second day of sentencing members of the Teesside branch of the drug gang appeared in court.

Richard Omar, who was at the top of the organisation on Teesside, was in regular contact with Liverpool drug kingpin Dennis Dawrant Jnr in the weeks leading up to and after Cooke's arrest.

The 53-year-old helped orchestrate the shipment of drugs from the North West into the North East on at least 75 occasions.

Judge Paul Watson QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough, told they gang they were a 'plague on society as he sentenced them all.

The Northern Echo: Teesside members of multi-million pound drugs gang jailed as part of Operation Mint. Pictured: top row: left to right, Richard Omar; Christopher Martin; Ryan Stirling; bottom row, left to right: Nathan Moncur; Paul Havert; and Phillip Oram.Teesside members of multi-million pound drugs gang jailed as part of Operation Mint. Pictured: top row: left to right, Richard Omar; Christopher Martin; Ryan Stirling; bottom row, left to right: Nathan Moncur; Paul Havert; and Phillip Oram.

Omar, of Leathorpe Court, Thornaby, was jailed for 16 years for his role in dealing cocaine and cannabis across the area after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

Christopher Martin was caught trying to flush drugs down the toilet when police raided his home.

The 35-year-old, of Victor Way, Thornaby, was jailed for seven years and four months.

Phillip Oram, 34, of Beechwood Road, Thornaby, was jailed for 12 months for conspiracy to supply cannabis.

Ryan Stirling, 27, of Marsh Avenue, Billingham, was jailed for five years for his role.

Nathan Moncur, 28, of Corfe Crescent, Billingham, was jailed for four years and eight months.

Paul Havert, 44, of Oaklea Close, Stockton, was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

His 38-year-old brother James, of Dovedale Road, Stockton, was jailed for nine months for his role in the conspiracy.

Masum Ahmed, 47, of Tower Hamlets, London, was jailed for five years.

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