Five dangerous Darlington men jailed in court this week

They include a killer driver, violent men, a sex offender and one man who fled police in his boxers.

Lewis Heslop

A drink driver who left a woman seriously injured after he crashed into her when he lost control of a car has been jailed again following her death several years later.

Lewis Heslop was jailed for nealry four years in 2016 after pleading guilty to a string of driving offences which left Monica Lewandowska with severe brain injuries from which she never regained consciousness.

The Attorney General granted permission for the 33-year-old to be charged with causing death by dangerous driving after the mother-of-two passed away in June 2022, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Ms Lewandowska was on the pavement of Easson Road, Darlington, when the silver Hyundai Coupe, being driven by Heslop, left the road, flipped over, and crashed into parked vehicles and a house before hitting the grandmother.

Jonathan Walker, prosecuting, said Heslop was three times over the legal drink drive limit at the time of the incident on Monday, June 13, 2016, and was travelling at twice the speed limit.

He said the 44-year-old passed away in a care home six years later without ever regaining consciousness.

Lewis Heslop

The 33-year-old Heslop, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving following his arrest in December last year.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Heslop to a further three years and 11 months on top of the four years the defendant had already served.

“You were entirely to blame, the car had no fault and you were driving too quickly while more than three times over the legal limit for driving,” he said.

Heslop was told he would be banned from driving for five years after he released from custody and must take an extended driving test.

James Roberts

A man who legged it from police whilst handcuffed and wearing just his boxer shorts has been locked up for more than a year.

James Roberts was given the chance to have one last drag on his vape as he was being taken into Darlington police station before taking the opportunity to make a dash for freedom.

The 25-year-old’s audacious escape bid didn’t last long as he was soon recaptured, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Ian West, prosecuting, said officers were arresting him on suspicion of arson, conspiracy to obtain a firearm, and working alongside an organised crime gang when he fled police earlier this year.

The court heard how Roberts was also charged with assaulting an emergency worker when he lashed out with his feet when they were trying to put him in a police van when he was suspected of committing a public order offence.

Mr West said he kicked the van door into the chest of the officer before causing scrapes to the officer’s arm when she was forced to the ground as they struggled to restrain him on July 6 last year.

James Roberts (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Roberts, of Meadowsweet Lane, Darlington, pleaded guilty to escaping lawful custody from March 28 this year and assaulting an emergency worker.

The judge, Mr Justice Jacobs, sentenced to a total of 14 months after his suspended sentence for drug offences was partially activated.

He said: “The police kindly allowed you one last drag on your vape but you burst off and were arrested a short while later, a relatively short distance away.

“You have a regrettable antecedent history for a person of your age, this includes a number of offences you have been sentenced to terms of imprisonment.”

Chisanga Kapambwe

A convicted sex offender found himself back in court after he failed to register his new address in Darlington.

Chisanga Kapambwe was found after a specialist police officer tracked him down after contacting the Immigration Service.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 28-year-old admitted failing to comply with the terms of his sex offender registration order between January 29 and April 4 this year.

Kapambwe, of no fixed abode, was evicted from his previous home before failing to register his new Darlington address over a nine-week period.

A judge heard how the defendant was made subject to the notification requirement for ten years following his conviction for sexual activity with a child under 16 in 2019.

Judge Timothy Stead said: "I don’t think that you did this deliberately. I don’t think you were failing to tell the authorities where you were staying so that you could go out and commit offences.

“I don’t think that at all. This was a change in your circumstances because you were evicted.”

Kapambwe was made subject to an 18-month community order with 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 100 hours of unpaid work attached.

John Gibson

A man who threatened to cut the head off his pregnant ex-partner when he failed to come to terms with the end of their relationship has avoided prison.

John Gibson carried out a campaign of abuse and harassment after their short-lived relationship ended due to his erratic behaviour.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 36-year-old sent threatening messages in July last year before bombarding his ex-partner with phone calls and text messages during September and November.

Elisha Marsay, prosecuting, said Gibson left his former partner fearing for her safety and anxious about seeing him around Darlington.

The court heard how Gibson’s behaviour became increasingly abusive, including threats to cut her head off and violently attack her.

Miss Marsay added: “He threatened to hit her with a baseball bat, tie her up and put her in his car boot.

“He told her he would come to her house and ‘stab your throat’.”

Gibson, of Craig Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to sending threatening messages on July 7, 2023; harassment between September 9 and November 4, 2023; and four charges of sending offensive messages from November 2 last year.

Recorder Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Gibson to six months in custody suspended for two years and issued him with an indefinite restraining order.

She added: “What you did was abusive, sending appalling threatening messages to a vulnerable pregnant woman.”

Gibson was also ordered to attend 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and a six-month mental health treatment program.

Mark Learoyd

A man who ‘beat the s***’ out of his partner just two weeks after being released from prison has found himself behind bars again.

Mark Learoyd punched his victim up to 30 times when he lost his temper after she told him she needed some space for an hour.

The 47-year-old launched the violent attack in his Darlington home before threatening another woman with a knife after he grabbed it out of her kitchen drawer.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the second woman suffered injuries to her hands when she grabbed the knife off Learoyd.

The court heard how he also told his victim that he ‘wanted to cut her head off’.

Mark Learoyd (Image: Durham Constabulary)

Learoyd, of Brook Terrace, Darlington, pleaded guilty to assault by beating and threatening a person with a knife on May 12 this year.

The court heard how he had previous convictions for domestic violence and had been subject of two domestic violence protection orders.

Martin Scarborough, mitigating, said his client had a longstanding alcohol problem which was at the root of his offending and accepts that he was heavily intoxicated at the time of his latest offending.

Judge Timothy Stead told the defendant his history of domestic abuse convictions was an aggravating factor in his case.

He said: “In her own words you ‘beat the s*** out of her’ for asking for an hour for herself.”

Learoyd was jailed for a total of 18 months for both offences.