A ‘despicable’ man who violently robbed his father, carried out a sexual assault on a teenage girl, burgled vulnerable people’s homes, spat in a police officer’s face, and robbed a shop, has been locked up for his catalogue of offences.

Urfan Arshad’s reign of terror took place in Middlesbrough and Darlington over a two-year period, Teesside Crown Court heard.

And the 42-year-old was branded ‘selfish and despicable’ by his sister when he was sentenced for all of his offences.

Teesside Crown Court heard how his behaviour has had a devastating impact on all of his family as he was jailed for a total of eight-and-a-half years by Judge Howard Crowson.

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Glenn Gatland, prosecuting, said Arshad’s father had let him stay with after he became homeless but he soon started taking money from him to pay for drugs before becoming violent when he was refused cash.

He said: “He (the father) was pushed to the floor where he was kicked to the body several times, the defendant then got on top of him and punched him.

“He grabbed a knife before demanding ‘take me to the cashpoint’ – he cut his father’s fringe and said ‘that’s your hair and if you don’t give me the money, I will stab you’.

“They drove to a cashpoint and the father withdrew £50 and then he made him drive to buy him some drugs.”

The Northern Echo: Urfan AshadUrfan Ashad (Image: Cleveland Police)

The series of offences the defendant faced:

  • On December 11, 2020, Arshad sexually assaulted a teenage girl who was travelling on a Trans Pennine train from York to Thornaby. Arshad started stroking her leg and rubbing his foot against hers before she managed to escape his unwanted attention. He was found guilty following a trial at Teesside Magistrates’ Court.
  • On September 24, 21, Arshad walked into St Barnabas Church in Middlesbrough and stole a student’s bag while she was practicing with the orchestra. He pleaded guilty to theft.
  • On January 9, 2022, Arshad violently attacked his father and forced him to withdraw cash from his bank account to pay for drugs. He pleaded guilty midway through his trial.
  • On March 15, 2022, the defendant walked into the Lifestyle shop on North Road in Darlington and demanded cash from the female shop worker who handed over £200. He pleaded guilty to robbery.
  • On March 20, 2022, he spat in the face of a police officer after he had been arrested despite knowing that he was potentially infected with hepatitis. Arshad then defecated in his cell and smeared it on the walls causing criminal damage.
  • On March 21, 2022, Arshad burgled the homes of two elderly people in Darlington – stealing a pair of shoes from one and pretending to be collecting for charity from the other victim.

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Paul Abrahams, mitigating, said his client had suffered from addiction for a number of years and had managed to stay out of trouble until his business collapsed in 2013.

He said: “The words - in the victim impact statements from his father and sister – he should take them to bed with him every night as a reminder of the harm he has caused to them.”

Arshad, of Harrowgate Hill, Darlington, was also ordered to sign on the sex offenders’ register for seven years when he is released from custody.