Defendants jailed at Durham Crown Court during October include voyeurs and other sex offenders, violent thugs, sneak-in burglars and vehicle thieves.
Like other judicial centres, the court is still attempting to catch-up with the back-log of cases affecting the court system in general.
Despite the equally-taxing problem of prison overcrowding, judges are still passing custodial sentences when merited.
A selection of a dozen offenders not leaving by the front door of the court are featured below.
A serial shop thief and burglar was caught wandering around a warehouse next to an Asda store late at night.
The court heard that the store is in an area covered by up to 50 cctv cameras, with security guards also on duty.
Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, tsaid the third break-in that week was reported late on the evening of August 23, when an intruder was reported to have entered the warehouse premises, attached to the store.
Miss Haugstad said defendant Merrick Ainslie was seen entering the warehouse through the main gate at 10.22pm.
He went upstairs, where he was disturbed by a member of staff and detained.
Ainslie was still wearing a face covering when police arrived at the premises to complete his arrest.
By the time of his first court appearance, before magistrates three days after the offence, 31-year-old Ainslie, of Thirlmere Road, Peterlee, admitted a charge of non-dwelling burglary.
The most recent of those convictions saw him receive a 54-month prison sentence for a house burglary in February 2020, with a subsequent shorter jail sentence for theft and assaulting an emergency worker.
Miss Haugstad said the Asda break-in was committed only two days after the defendant completed his post-sentence supervision period for that offence.
Imposing a ten-month prison sentence, Judge Jo Kidd told Ainslie it would have been 15 months, but for his guilty plea when he first appeared at court.
She said his cause was not assisted by his aggravating offending history.
Cameron Greaves
The full extent of a paedophile’s sickening child and animal abuse interest emerged after he was jailed for offences including voyeurism, earlier this year, the court heard.
Cameron Greaves, now 21, received a total prison sentence of 18 months at the court in May, after he admitted two counts of voyeurism plus possession of indecent imagers of children and extreme pornography.
Just a few months into his term of imprisonment, Greaves appeared again for sentence before the court, this time via video link from HMP Northumberland, where he is serving the jail term imposed in May.
Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, told the latest hearing that Greaves now falls to be sentenced after new charges were brought once the full contents of devices seized from him by police, in April, emerged.
The defendant, from Crook, admitted three new charges of making incident photographs of children and four of possessing extreme pornography when the case went before magistrates, in June.
It was sent to the crown court for sentence.
Mr Thompson said the new charges related to a far greater number of images, about 1,500 featuring indecent child material, 98 classed as extreme pornography and 54 prohibited images of children, in cartoon or CGI format, some stills but many of them videos.
Much of the offending material, particularly the images and videos featuring animals, were said to be of a sadistic nature featuring gross acts of cruelty and torture, while the child abuse images featured very young children, some in discernible distress.
Greaves had sought to buy some of the animal abuse material which originated from a now jailed British zoologist in Australia.
Cole Cockburn, for Greaves, said the images were gathered during the period covering the original conviction, offences dating back to a time when the defendant was aged 19, and of previous good character.
Mr Cockburn said the offending stemmed from the defendant’s addiction to pornography.
He said the harsh conditions his client has endured serving his prison sentence have exemplified the defendant’s, “on-going shame and deep regret.”
Mr Cockburn said: “He desires to leave prison as a man who can put this all behind him.
“He was well-liked before he went to prison and has made it clear when he does leave prison, he will do so with a deep-rooted desire not to return.”
Judge Nathan Adams told Greaves: “This is effectively the second part of a
Imposing a 28-month total sentence, it adds a further ten months onto the prison term passed on Greaves in May.
He also ordered deprivation of all the images and videos, plus the devices seized by police during their inquiry.
Greaves is already subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and registration as a sex offender, both for ten years, arising from his sentence in May.
But he was told the ten-year notification requirement period will now start afresh.
Samantha Appleby
A woman stabbed her partner during a drunken row that brought an end to their “rather poisonous” relationship, the court heard.
Samantha Appleby, also known as Shaw, took a long-bladed kitchen knife and plunged it into the back of her partner at their home in Shotton Colliery, on August 5.
The court was told police received a phone call from her to say an “unknown person” had stabbed her partner.
When officers spoke to the defendant she told them her partner went to a shop and on his return someone stabbed him.
Neighbours were spoken to and they told officers the couple had been arguing and they suspected she was the actual assailant.
CCTV in the area was checked and showed no one coming or leaving their property at the time.
Mr Ponniah said a hooded top with a puncture wound and other clothing covered in blood was found in the washing machine.
On his way to the hospital, the casualty said she (Appleby) had stabbed him using a long kitchen knife with a jagged bottom.
The victim, who was in severe pain, was taken to James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where it was confirmed the knife injury had punctured his left lung which had to be drained of blood.
Although he later told police that what he had said in the ambulance was correct, he would not give a statement but added that as far as he was concerned it was the end of their relationship.
Appleby was arrested and taken to custody where it was realised she was suffering acute alcohol withdrawal and so she was then transferred to hospital.
At her first appearance at the crown court, on September 3, the 36-year-old defendant, formerly of Hawthorn Terrace, Shotton Colliery, admitted a charge of unlawful wounding, which was “accepted” by the Crown.
But she has suffered from what has been diagnosed as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following knife attacks on her parents, for which the perpetrator was charged with attempted murder and jailed.
Mr Baker added that her life has “spiralled out of control” since then.
Judge Deborah Sherwin said she had noted the defendant’s offending was all in the last four years when she has been in her 30s.
The judge said it was clear her alcoholism began due to the problems in her personal life.
She told Appleby it was clear her relationship with her now ex-partner was one that, “did neither of you any good.”
“You stabbed him in the back after a row.
“It’s capable of being a really serious injury, but I have no reason to think he has not made a full recovery, and I’m told the relationship is now at an end.”
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The judge said she was left with no choice but to impose a prison sentence.
Imposing an 18-month prison term she told Appleby it would have been two years but for her guilty plea.
As a parting shot, the judge told Appleby: “I know you have made progress and I hope that continues and there will be a better future for you.”
Harvey Crampton
A teenager armed with a samurai sword led a group attack on a man in his own home, demanding money after kicking in his door, in the early hours of the morning.
The victim was confronted by the masked trio as he was woken in his bed in his flat in Sherburn Village, at 5.30am on November 8, last year.
Crampton had assaulted him in a previous incident, five days earlier.
Chris Baker, prosecuting, said Crampton who was carrying the sword, was demanding that the victim should give them a lift and transfer money to them.
While the demands were made as the startled flat-dweller was lying in bed he was struck in the legs with a pole by one of the group.
He told them he could get money from next door, and, as he got out of his bed and made his way to the door, there was a scuffle during which he was struck over the head with the sword by Crampton.
The victim was also hit in the mouth with a weapon, cutting his lip and damaging a tooth, as well as receiving a further blow to a leg.
Mr Baker said during this stage of the confrontation one of the intruders was saying: “Chop him, chop him.”
The defendant, of Bradford Crescent, Gilesgate, Durham, who was aged 19 at the time of the incident, but who is now 20, admitted charges of wounding with intent and common assault, but only on the day of his scheduled trial, on May 29.
His sentencing hearing was delayed to allow for the preparation of Probation Service and psychiatric reports.
But when the case came back before the court, on Friday (October 11), the hearing was told Crampton has seven past convictions for ten offences, including previous assaults and public order matters.
Judge Deborah Sherwin told Crampton he has a bad record but for nothing as serious as he is now facing.
She acknowledged he had a difficult upbringing and suffers with ADHD, but she added: “None of it is made any better if you take drugs.
“It only makes things ten times worse and has only contributed to the offences in the past and to the present offences.”
Judge Sherwin imposed a 54-month (four-and-a-half years) custodial sentence, she said it would have been five years, but for his late guilty pleas on the day of trial.
The judge told him he would serve up to half behind bars before he is released on licence, but the remainder of the sentence would then still be hanging over him.
She also put in place a restraining order prohibiting Crampton from contacting or approaching the victim, indefinitely.
Allan Spacey
A man who repeatedly abused a young girl, treating her, in her words, as, “a sex toy”, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment.
Allan Spacey committed the offences on a victim who a judge said he knew was, “young, naïve and vulnerable”, at the time.
The court was told the victim felt alone in the world and self-harmed as well as attempting to take her own life twice, in the wake of the abuse.
But she eventually disclosed what had happened to her at Spacey’s hands and it led to the defendant being charged with six counts of sexual assault, one accounting for multiple offences.
Emma Dowling, prosecuting, said after the police became involved, Spacey sent the girl numerous messages.
He went on trial at the court on August 19 and, following a week-long hearing, was found guilty on all six counts by the jury, including some of sexual assault on a girl under 13.
Robert Mochrie, in mitigation, said there was little he could say on his client’s behalf, as, “unhappily he still denies this was the correct verdict.”
But he said the defendant accepts, in the light of that verdict, that the judge must perform her public duty and pass an appropriate sentence.
“Imposing the 15-year sentence, Judge Sarah Mallett said Spacey would have to serve at least two-thirds before he can be considered for release by the Parole Board.
Upon completion of the sentence, he will also have to serve an additional year the subject of licence supervision.
Other aspects of the sentence mean he will be barred from ever working with children and will not be allowed unsupervised contact with anyone under 18, by way of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Spacey will also be subject to notification requirements by way of registration as a sex offender, again indefinitely.
A lifetime restraining order prevents him for ever contacting or approaching his victim.
He is, of course, 68 and any sentence will take him into old age.
Paul Shields
A "risk-taking" voyeur covertly filmed two women in the bath or showering on separate occasions, in one case after entering the victim’s home as a trespasser.
But when Paul Shields tried to repeat the act, the second woman being filmed, with whom he had an “infatuation”, realised a camera phone was being pointed at her from above the bathroom door.
The court was told she shouted at the intruder and the defendant fled, retreating by the way he entered her home, via a landing window and across roofing.
Philip Morley, prosecuting, said subsequent police inquiries revealed this had not been an isolated incident.
It emerged that four months earlier he had also sneaked into the same woman's home and did something similar, but on that occasion without being spotted.
Police discovered it by seizing his mobile phone and finding a video of the same woman in the shower.
She confirmed she was completely unaware any footage had been taken on that occasion, in October last year, which was also at about 6.25am.
The 55-year-old defendant, of Blencathra Way, Chester-le-Street, admitted one count of trespass with intent to commit a sexual offence and 21 of voyeurism, offences committed in Bowburn and Darlington.
Despite his issues, Robin Turton, in mitigation, said the defendant has held down a good job, which would be at risk if he was to be jailed.
He added: “This is a man for whom there’s a realistic prospect of rehabilitation with the appropriate support network, so he can put this behind him.
“I would argue that notwithstanding these shameful offences, he is someone who can be sentenced in a constructive way rather than with a custodial sentence.”
But Recorder Andrew Dallas said the defendant had admitted 21 separate cases of voyeuristic activity, which he described as, “extraordinary and worrying behaviour”, which both his unwary victims found, “extremely upsetting and shocking”.
Recorder Dallas told the defendant he displayed, “extraordinary risk taking”, on more than one occasion, “to satisfy your sexual interest in voyeurism”.
The Recorder said it was “concerning” the level of risk the defendant was prepared to take in such circumstances and after being arrested it soon emerged it was not, “a one-off.”
He told Shields: “I take the view it’s too serious for anything other than an immediate custodial sentence.”
Imposing a three-year sentence, he made Shields subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and restraining orders relating to both women, indefinitely.
Shields will also be subject to notification as a sex offender, also for life.
Andrew Henderson
Andrew George William Henderson, of Salters Lane, Wingate, received a 24-month prison sentence for attempted child sex offences.
Henderson was ordered to register as sex offender for ten years and is subject to terms of SHPO, also for ten years.
Callum Bell
A man went on “a rampage" causing widespread damage and destruction at his partner's home after a row during a night out at a snooker club, the court heard.
Callum Bell had been drinking and taken cocaine on the lead up to the incident, at the home of his partner of only two months, in Great Lumley, near Chester-le-Street, on March 29.
When she turned up at 12.30am he refused to let her in, so she went to stay at her mother’s home.
Later that morning she went to her house at 6.30am to collect some belongings but found he had smashed windows and furnishings.
Sam Ponniah, prosecuting, said Bell pushed her onto a bed, then dragged her off onto the stairs and threatened to kill her.
Bell struck her over the head with a mirror and used broken glass shards to assault her, throwing them at her, with some piercing her ankle area.
Accusing her of infidelity, Bell held a knife to her throat before causing further damage to a bedroom wardrobe and ripping off light fittings.
Mr Ponniah said the terrified woman managed to make an emergency call to police, but when Bell found out it made him even angrier and the victim feared she would be killed at his hands.
She managed to escape, though, via a living room window and ran back to her mother’s address, from where a further call was made to police.
Bell had left his partner’s address by the time officers reached the scene, to discover the widespread damage caused by the defendant.
He was only arrested on April 2 since when he has remained in custody.
The 33-year-old defendant of Larch Terrace, Stanley, admitted charges of assault causing actual bodily harm, common assault and criminal damage, but only on the day he was due to stand trial on a five-count indictment, on September 25.
Judge Jo Kidd told Bell that while heavily intoxicated through a combination of alcohol and drugs the incident took place over an hour.
“It involved sustained violence against your partner in the address she shared with you.
“For about an hour you seemed to move through that house smashing anything that was made of glass.
“I have seen 140 photographs, with windows, light fittings, showers, mirrors, an i-pad and phone.
“You were on a rampage, determined to break anything made out of glass in that house.
“There’s an inherent danger in smashing glass, which posed a significant risk to your partner.
“She described you smashing a window over your head.
“It’s very lucky she did not receive more serious offences.
“That’s a matter of good luck rather than intent on your behalf.
“She did sustain an injury to her leg with broken glass and she described her entire house being, ‘smashed to smithereens.”
Judge Kidd imposed a 21-month prison sentence which, in the circumstances, she said she was unwilling to suspend.
Jack Muncaster
A frequent young offender has been jailed for six years for a “split-second decision” to lash out at a woman with a machete, leaving her with long-lasting injuries.
Jack Muncaster had made threats towards the woman’s partner before damaging windows on their Seat Ibiza car with the machete, in Murton, at 11.30pm, on Friday, April 19 this year.
Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said it caused a significant slash wound to the woman’s forearm, exposing tendons in the area near her wrist.
She required extensive hospital treatment and has not yet fully regained the use of her hand.
The incident, which took place on Burnip Road, was captured on CCTV, and Muncaster was later arrested and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent, criminal damage, and possession of a knife in a public place.
Although he admitted the latter two offences earlier in proceedings, it was only on the day of scheduled trial, on October 7, that the defendant put in a guilty plea to the count of wounding with intent.
The court was told the defendant, of no fixed address, who only turned 21 in June, already has 17 convictions for 33 offences on his record.
He most recently served an 18-month sentence for a domestic burglary in 2023.
Katie Spence, for Muncaster, said his intention that night was to cause damage to the car, and it was a “split-second decision” in launching the machete in the direction of the victim, which has, “ruined his life and the complainant’s as well.”
Miss Spence said: “It wasn’t prolonged or persistent, but he accepts causing those injuries.
“He’s incredibly ashamed of his behaviour and regrets it entirely.”
Miss Spence said that at the age of only 21, the defendant has spent, “a considerable proportion of his adult life in custody", having been, "exposed to criminal behaviour from quite a young age.”
Imposing the six-year sentence, Judge Nathan Adams said the whole incident may have only lasted 20 seconds.
He said after pulling up in a vehicle, the defendant, who was the passenger, jumped out carrying the machete and caused damage to the other vehicle, before landing the single blow in the direction of the complainant, with, “a highly dangerous weapon.”
“Unsurprisingly, she spent two nights in hospital.
“The machete went through her wrist to half-full thickness and considerable medical intervention was required.”
The judge said the victim suffered scarring to the lull length of her wrist.
Muncaster must spend two-thirds of the six years behind bars, with time served in custody prior to the hearing, on October 23, counting towards sentence.
He also received a concurrent 18-month prison sentence for a distraction burglary at a house in Blackhall Colliery, in December 2022, in which he took keys to a car from a work top, before driving off in the vehicle.
The judge issued life-long restraining orders prohibiting Muncaster from contacting or approaching either the victim of the machete attack or a friend who witnessed the incident.
David Joynes
A student returned to her city centre flat after a two-minute trip to Gregg’s to hear strangers’ voices inside, the court was told.
The undergraduate left the door to her flat closed but unlocked, as she nipped out to buy a takeaway snack in Durham, on Saturday, October 21, last year.
As she left her flat down an alleyway off Saddler Street, she noticed two men who appeared intoxicated.
Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, said the shocked student looked in to see a stranger sitting at the dinner table talking to another unknown male.
She shouted at them to leave, grabbed her phone and rang for the police.
When the pair of intruders left, she realised some of her flatmate’s belongings were missing,
Police examined CCTV footage from the area and an officer recognised one of the men in the vicinity of the alleyway as David Joynes.
He was subsequently arrested and charged with burglary with intent to steal.
The victim told police she had previously felt safe and secure in her, “home from home” in Durham, until the incident.
Joynes, a third strike-plus burglar, admitted the latest break-in at a hearing in August, a week after failing to appear for a court hearing and being arrested on a bench warrant.
The 46-year-old defendant, most recently of Eskdale Street, Darlington, was said to have 54 for convictions for 205 offences, including previous burglaries dotted through his record, going back to the year 2000.
Annelise Haugstad, for Joynes, told the court: “He’s 46 and it’s true to say he’s served a number of previous sentences of imprisonment."
She said on his previous release from prison he found himself in difficult circumstances, with family health issues which led him to return to drug misuse.
Imposing a 31-month prison sentence, Judge Nathan Adams told the defendant it was a five-month reduction on the mandatory three years for three strikes and above burglars, which was “credit” for his guilty plea.
The judge said in the current circumstances, he would serve 40-per cent of the sentence before being eligible for release, which, given the time served on remand, maybe in little more than ten months.
Jason Hanley
An audacious bid to steal a mini digger from a garage at night was doomed to failure after the perpetrator was spotted by a police patrol.
Cole Cockburn, prosecuting, said it was discovered to be missing the following morning.
A cctv check revealed a Land Rover Discovery, which it emerged was driven by defendant Jason Hanley, pulled onto the forecourt towing an empty trailer, just before midnight.
The digger, by then loaded onto the trailer, and the Land Rover were spotted by police in the early hours of July 19.
Mr Cockburn said due to the manner of driving and the suspicious time of night, it was pursued by police.
The lights and siren of the police vehicle were activated but Hanley failed to stop.
Approaching Low Pittington, the driver’s door was opened and Hanley fled on foot, leaving the Land Rover to go on to crash into the front garden fence of a local resident.
Mr Cockburn said following a short foot pursuit Hanley was apprehended and he admitted taking the digger.
The Land Rover was found to be bearing false plates and Hanley, who had a balaclava and gloves with him, was not insured to drive.
Although a roadside drug wipe gave a positive indication that there was cocaine in his system, the defendant refused to give a blood sample at the police station, citing a dislike of needles.
He told police that when he bought the Land Rover it was already bearing the false plates.
The householder stated that the damage to his front fence, wall and gate amounted to about £1,000 to repair.
Hanley, 31, of no fixed address, but formerly of Crook, admitted dangerous driving, theft, going equipped for theft, failing to provide a blood specimen and a separate offence of making off without payment for fuel, committed in December last year.
(Image: Durham Constabulary)He was said to have 11 convictions for 14 offences, many for theft, but with nothing similar since 2010, although he has an excess alcohol conviction from 2016 for which he was fined.
Mr Cockburn said there must have been some planning behind the offence.
Charlie Thompson, in mitigation, said the defendant has spent 60 days on curfew and a month in custody since the offence.
“The Jason Hanley now is very different to the Jason Hanley who committed this offence.
“He has had his first taste of custody having only ever previously been before magistrates’ and youth courts.
“He has been out of trouble since about 2015/16, when he was convicted for drink driving.”
Mr Thompson said following personal tragedies Hanley responded by abusing drink and drugs.
On the day of the incident, he had a few cans of beer and consumed cocaine, which Mr Thompson said was, “typical for him at that time.”
Mr Thompson said the defendant only realised the Land Rover was carrying false plates after he bought it, and that he had a balaclava and gloves on him as he rides a motorcycle.
Referring to the dangerous driving, Mr Thompson said the defendant “panicked” realising he was likely to be caught and chose to engage in a police pursuit.
“He described his first taste of prison as ‘torture’ and he has struggled with his mental health.”
Mr Thompson said if the defendant was to be spared an immediate prison sentence, he has a job doing guttering for a plumbing company to go into, while a friend in Darlington would provide him with accommodation.
He added that the defendant has made efforts to deal with his misuse of drugs and his mental health.
Judge Nathan Adams said he accepted that in the background the defendant had fallen into, “a spiral of drink and class A drug-taking” and saw this opportunity to continue down that path.
“It was clearly the planned theft of equipment which you thought would get you some money.
“You were spotted, however, and you should have pulled over.
“But you took off at high-speed, notwithstanding the fact you were towing that trailer carrying the mini digger.
“Ultimately, you jumped out while it was still moving, and it crashed into the fence of a private property.
“There was a significant risk of danger to the police and to the public.
“It’s likely you still had cocaine in your system which was suggested by the roadside wipe and you then refused to provide the blood sample.
“This was a serious chain of events over a short period of time.
“I accept the damage was at the lower end of the scale, but it was aggravated by the cocaine in your system.”
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Imposing a 12-month prison sentence, Judge Adams said the planned theft of a high-value vehicle, followed by a dangerous police chase was too serious to be suspended.
The judge also banned Hanley from driving for three-and-a-half years.
He said the defendant will only be permitted to legally drive again after passing an extended re-test when the ban expires.
Wayne Bryson
A man considered to pose a danger to the public of causing serious harm has received a lengthy prison sentence over a street stabbing of an unarmed victim.
Wayne Bryson lost his temper over a bag containing personal possessions which had gone missing while at the home of a "mutual acquaintance", in Hawthorne Street, Easington Colliery, on February 28.
The confrontation moved outside into the street, by which time Bryson had armed himself with a kitchen knife.
He used it to stab the other man in the chest, and as the victim turned to try to flee, Bryson grabbed his clothing and stabbed him three times in the back.
The defendant then fled while still carrying the knife and members of the public saw him covered in the victim's blood standing at a bus stop.
The police were informed but Bryson was only arrested later in the afternoon at Peterlee Bus Station, having taken a bus from Easington.
Officers recovered the knife, carrying the blood of both the defendant and his victim, from a rubbish bin at the bus station.
The court heard there was great concern for the victim who had to be given an emergency transfusion of blood on his way to hospital.
He suffered two lung puncture wounds and had to have a chest drain fitted for three days.
But he remained in hospital for five days for what were, initially, considered to be, “life-threatening injuries”.
Bryson made denials over the knife attack and was convicted of wounding with intent and possessing a knife in public following a trial in August.
Judge Geoffrey Marson KC adjourned passing sentence last month to have an assessment of the risk of danger posed by the defendant carried out by the Probation Service.
The 31-year-old defendant, of no fixed abode, appeared at the re-arranged sentencing hearing via video link from HMP Durham where he has been on remand.
He said the use of alcohol and drugs, at times, leads to "unpredictable behaviour", with a tendency by the defendant to minimise that behaviour.
The judge, therefore, imposed an extended determinate sentence featuring a custodial element of eight-and-a-half years.
Bryson must serve at least two-thirds of that sentence before being eligible for consideration for release by the Parole Board.
But when he is released, he will be subject to a four-year extended licence period.
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