Here are some of the most serious offenders who have faced justice at Teesside Crown Court in November.
The cases include a killer, rapists, drug dealers and violent thugs from across the region.
Pub killer
A thug who killed a loving grandfather when he attacked him in a pub beer garden has been locked up.
Curtis Tudor headbutted Carl James before delivering a devastating right hook as he tried to get up from the floor and he hit his head on a wooden table when he collapsed from the blow.
The 42-year-old died following an incident at the Jack and Jill pub on Crossfell Road, Middlesbrough, in May this year.
CCTV footage captured the fatal incident in the pub beer garden which showed Mr James sitting next to the defendant before violence erupted.
The court heard how the pair had a ‘bit of chew’ earlier in the day before Tudor told the father-of-five to ‘f** off’ and then seconds later launched the fatal assault.
Tudor was sentenced to six years in prison.
The 26-year-old, of Welburn Grove, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to manslaughter following the violence shortly before 6pm on Saturday, May 11.
Darlington pervert
A sick pervert who left a woman terrified for her safety after he chased her home following a night out has been branded a danger to women.
A judge told Mohammed Rahman that his behaviour is "alarming" after hearing how the woman was forced to run for safety as the 20-year-old closed in on her.
The woman started to use her mobile phone to record Rahman as he was bearing down on her and was left terrified he knew where she lived.
Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court how the defendant followed the victim for several minutes whilst continually closing the gap between the pair and pulling up his hood to disguise his identity.
She said: “She took out her mobile phone and started to record the male who was now at a sprint, crossing the road towards her.
“She shouted ‘why are you following me?’ as he pulled his hood around her face and ran past her.”
Rahman, of Selbourne Terrace, Darlington, pleaded guilty to two breaches of his sexual risk order following his arrest on April 14 this year.
Judge Jonathan Carroll branded Rahman’s approach to women as ‘alarming’ as he jailed him for two years and eight months.
“She fled and you sprinted after her,” he said. “The level of anxiety and fear that must have triggered is hard to imagine."
Drug dealer
A drug dealer who came back into the country illegally after he was deported when he was released from prison following the death of a popular Yarm man is back behind bars.
Edwin Taha was convicted of affray after he was involved in the death of Luke Jobson who died after he was chased through Yarm town centre by a gang of youths.
The 24-year-old was deported to his native France in January 2023 after he was released from custody after the 22-year-old engineering student drowned when he fled after he was surrounded by a 'pack of wolves' on the night he died.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Taha illegally re-entered the country within months of his deportation before returning to Teesside and dealing drugs to fund his lifestyle.
Taha was arrested after cocaine, cash and gold jewellery were recovered from his car and home when he was stopped in Hartlepool.
He was driving along Grange Road on September 14 when he was pulled over by officers driving a white Mercedes.
Saba Shan, prosecuting, said police estimated that the cocaine recovered following his arrest in September was valued at around £10,000 alongside a can of CS spray, a baseball bat, a hammer and a large quantity of cash and jewellery.
Judge Timothy Stead jailed the drug dealer to a total of five years and nine months for all offences.
EncroChat gang
A gang of ‘industrial scale’ drug dealers who were brought down when their encrypted phone network was compromised have been locked up for more than 40 years.
Nico Easton, Robert English and Mark McKeswick were brought to justice after French police hacked EncroChat in 2019 and recovered thousands of encrypted messages.
The North East drug traffickers were jailed after they were convicted of conspiracy to supply heroin and source a firearm as part of their criminal enterprise.
Easton was the Teesside link to the crime network, while English and his right-hand man McKeswick headed up operations in the Newcastle area.
The Stockton man, who was using the name "Dior Metal" on the messaging platform, was trying to buy 1kg of heroin, alongside 3kg of mixing agent.
During their trial, jurors had heard how Easton and English were trying to source a handgun and a silencer while trading in large quantities of illicit drugs.
English, of Woodlands, Throckley, was also found guilty of the possession of criminal property. McKeswick, of Muswell Hill, Newcastle, was also found guilty of being concerned in the production of heroin and the possession of criminal property.
Easton was jailed for 15 years and six months for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and conspiracy to acquire a firearm without a certificate.
English was jailed for 18 years and eight months for his role in the conspiracy while his lieutenant McKeswick was locked up for 13 years and three months.
'Despicable' rapist
A vile child rapist who carried out a campaign of sexual abuse has been branded ‘arrogant and despicable’ as he was sentenced to 25 years.
George Bellwood’s horrendous abuse left his victim wanting to die after the pervert video recorded some of his deplorable sex attacks.
The 32-year-old eventually pleaded guilty to all charges but not until he had forced his young victim to be cross examined ahead of his impending trial date.
Sentencing him, Judge Jo Kidd said: “(The victim) was the subject of the most heinous, monstrous, violent abuse by you.
“Matters came to light when they disclosed to their teacher what had happened. The child said - ‘it makes me sad and stressed and I wish I was dead’.”
In a victim impact statement, the child’s mother laid bare the suffering and pain they had endured at the hands of Bellwood.
She said the child now has difficulty regulating their emotions and regularly says they want to be dead and that is heart-breaking.
Bellwood, of Zetland Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to rape of a child under 13, sexual assault on a child under 13, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images of child, distributing an indecent image of a child, and possession of extreme pornography.
Sobbing dealer
A drug dealer sobbed as he was locked up after £1,500 worth of cocaine was found hidden in a fridge in an outhouse.
Unemployed Zack Reeves was selling the drug to help fund his own cocaine fuelled ‘benders’ alongside the money he made from buying and selling cars and motorbikes.
The 28-year-old also had £3,629 stashed in a cupboard when police raided his Middlesbrough home in the summer.
Ian West, prosecuting, said three bags of cocaine were found in the fridge and a specialist officer valued the drug to be worth £1,500 on the streets.
Reeves, of Downside Road, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possession of criminal property following his arrest on August 22 this year.
Recorder Andrew Latimer sentenced Reeves to three years and four months for both offences.
He said: “When the police arrived, you volunteered to police where the drugs would be found, it is plain that you kept those drugs away from the children in a place they were unlikely to go.
“The fact is, Class A drugs should never be anywhere near a house where children would be – I think you understand that now.”
Cannabis farmer
A cannabis farmer found hiding under loft insulation has been locked up after plants with an estimated street value of up to £160,000 was recovered.
Fatjon Hoxha had spent a month looking after the illicit crop before Durham Constabulary raided the house in Darlington last month.
The 21-year-old Albanian was told he would be deported once he had served his sentence when he appeared at Teesside Crown Court.
Elisha Marsay, prosecuting, said Hoxha was looking after the professionally set-up cannabis grow in the house on Leafield Road until the police raid was carried.
Police valued the potential value of the cannabis grow ranged from £20,000 if sold in bulk up to £162,000 if sold on the streets but said there was no evidence of street dealing at the three bedroomed house.
Hoxha, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to being involved in the production of a Class B drug, cannabis on October 2.
“They found a cannabis farm spread across three floors, this was a professional set up, you were located hiding under insulation in the attic and in possession of a mobile phone.
“Officers found the cupboards and fridge were stocked with food and the bed had been slept in,” he said.
Sex offender
A rapist who also sexually abused a young girl has been locked up for 17 years after being convicted of a string of sex offences.
Keith Sterling’s degrading abuse took place several years ago while he was living in Darlington.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the sex offender had significantly damaged the lives of his victims and he still continues to deny his offences.
Rebecca Brown, prosecuting, said one of the rapes happened when the victim was sleeping.
In a victim personal statement, the woman said Sterling’s abuse had impacted on her mental health and would take the pain ‘to her grave’.
The child victim said Sterling’s abuse had left her struggling to come to terms what had happened to her and she still struggled to put into words the impact that his abuse had on her and remains mistrustful of male adults.
The 46-year-old, of Roker Place, Darlington, was found guilty of rape and sexual assault on a child following a trial at the same court.
Recorder Aisha Wadoodi sentenced Sterling to a total of 17 years for all offences.
“The prosecution submitted that some of the offences were done in drink but there was a repeated pattern of sexual offending which was reflected by the jury’s verdicts,” she said.
Sterling was also made subject of life-long restraining orders, sexual harm prevention order and was told he would have to sign on the sex offenders’ register for life.
Career criminal
A career criminal has been locked up for his latest raft of offences including shoplifting, knife possession and smearing faeces on a camera in a police station cell.
Christopher Webster, who has 11 convictions for 224 offences on his record, stole corned beef, hair straighteners, jewellery and fragrances during a plethora of shoplifting offences.
The 42-year-old was found guilty of carrying a knife while in Darlington Memorial Hospital after he failed to turn up for his trial, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Charlie Thompson, prosecuting, said the serial offender stole goods from the Co-op and TK Maxx in July and August.
He said Webster had smeared excrement on a security camera inside a police cell following one of his arrests in July which resulted in it needing a deep clean.
Webster, of Headlam House, Darlington, pleaded guilty to shoplifting, criminal damage, assault an emergency worker, failure to surrender to court bail and possession of Class C drugs. He was found guilty of the bladed article offence.
“When I say a raft of offences, I’m right in saying they total 11. They are also a variety of offences but I have to acknowledge they are all relatively low level with the exception of possession of a bladed article and assault on emergency worker,” she said.
Drug runner
A drug dealer who dangled off a footbridge across the A66 in a desperate attempt to avoid arrest has been locked up.
Jake Marron was spotted by officers speeding around on his electric scooter before carrying out a suspected drug deal in a park.
The 22-year-old knocked one of the officers out of the way on his bike before discarding his mobile phone as he edged his way along the ledge, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Albany Kidd, prosecuting, said: “The other officers were blocking his path, so he climbed over the bridge railing and was dangling over a 50mph stretch of the A66.
“He edged along the ledge and was heard to make a call from his mobile phone saying - ‘I have been caught’.”
Judge Richard Bennett sentenced the defendant to a total of two years and three months after he was caught selling the drugs in a Middlesbrough park.
He added: “You were seen openly being involved in what was described as a drugs transaction and then left the park in as much as a hurry as when you arrived in the park.”
Gang shooting
An armed gang who trawled the streets looking for their intended target were heard to shout ‘shoot him’ before a volley of four rounds were fired from a rifle.
The man was left fighting for his life after he was shot in the back with the bullet shattering two of his ribs before bursting out of the front of body.
Christopher Teasdale, Martin Timms and Richard Finn used a .22 long-barrelled rifle, which was fitted with a telescopic sight, to shoot their victim after they spotted him walking along the street.
Security footage captured their white BMW in Grangetown, near Middlesbrough, and one of them could be heard shouting ‘There he is man – shoot him, shoot him’ before the sound of fire shots were captured.
Moments later, the victim’s girlfriend appeared on the scene and one of the gang was heard to shout ‘Move your car - move it’ before they drove away from the scene.
Paul Rooney, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court, how the three men were caught on more security footage when the pulled up at the home of Timms on Caernarvon Close, Eston, and were seen to remove the rifle from the rear.
He said the 21-year-old victim suffered huge blood loss and a punctured lung, with broken ribs piercing his skin. He was left in a critical condition as being treated by paramedics who feared he would go into cardiac arrest while laid in the street.
The three men initially faced a charge of attempted murder but they pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent last month on the day their trial was due to start.
Paul Abrahams, representing 45-year-old Finn, of Brunswick Avenue, Middlesbrough, said his client had started committing offences when he fell into drug use but had managed to stay out of trouble for 20 years.
Dan Cordey, presenting 53-year-old Timms, said his client had 30 previous convictions for low-level offending and accepted he had served a six-month prison sentence in 1996, for drug driving.
While Jane Waugh, representing 42-year-old Teasdale, of Stafford Road, Middlesbrough, said her client was the main carer for his four children but accepted he did have several previous convictions.
They all got sentences of 13 years and nine months, with ten years and nine months in custody and three years on extended licence.
Street attack
A drunken thug who stabbed a man nine times in an unprovoked attack following a confrontation near a taxi office has been locked up.
Adam Leonard lured his victim away for the office to launch his unprovoked attack before running away celebrating what he had done.
The 33-year-old left his victim needing emergency surgery after he suffered two punctured lungs as a result of the stabbing in the early hours of the morning on Redcar High Street.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the attack had a devastating impact on Leonard’s victim and he is still struggling to come to terms with it.
Judge Roger Thomas KC sentenced Leonard to 14 years in prison with an extended licence period of three years after branding him a serial offender with a predilection to carrying a knife.
“You are seen on CCTV for a number of minutes before the stabbing and it is possible to gain a very good impression of you and your behaviour which was odd and bizarre.
“For some wholly unjustified and senseless reason, you took some sort of exception to your victim who did nothing at all to you to explain the attention that you paid to him,” he said.
“Having effectively lured him to you, you produced a knife from your pocket and stabbed him nine times. These were penetrating wounds, his left lung was pierced and deflated and his right lung was also deflated.
“These injuries were correctly described as life-threatening.”
The judge heard how Leonard had 30 convictions for 65 offences including ones for violence and weapons offences and one for attacking his own brother.
Teenager abuser
A teenager who sexually abused three young girls has been locked up for his campaign of degrading assaults.
Dominic Legg carried out a series of sexual assaults and rapes on his victims over a four-year period leaving them suffering from the traumatic effects of his abuse.
The 19-year-old’s victims ranged in age from under ten to 15 years of age and took place when he was under age as well with the abuse starting when he was around 12, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Claire Anderson, prosecuting, said the abuse has left one of his victims feeling suicidal due the impact of his behaviour towards her while another had been left feeling withdrawn and her personality had been changed.
Legg, of Harrow Street, Hartlepool, was found guilty of 13 charges against the three victims including counts of rape, sexual assault and engaging in sexual activity with a child following a trial.
Passing sentence, Judge Chris Smith said: “You committed these crimes over a long period of time when you were growing up. Three young women have been really affected by what you did to them."
Legg was sentenced to a total of five years and nine months in a young offenders’ institute for all offences.
The teenager was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order to protect his victims.
He was told that he must sign on the sex offenders’ register for the remainder of his life.
Drug taxing
An armed gang who left their terrified victim a tetraplegic when he fell from a window in a desperate attempt to flee their attack have been jailed.
Samantha Nunn drove the gang to the house before shouting vile encouragement to her co-accused to ‘get him’ before he plunged headfirst from the first-floor window.
Her boyfriend Kallum Shilham, and Andrew Hobson were caught on ‘chilling’ Ring doorbell footage using weapons to smash their way into a house intent on inflicting violence on the-then 20-year-old.
Teesside Crown Court had heard how the three defendants, and another unidentified person, descended on a house in Stockton armed with knives and a pool cue with the intention of ‘taxing’ an alleged drug dealer.
The armed gang smashed a window in the house before piling in and hunting down their intended target.
Jurors had heard how Hobson had rifled through the pockets of the man as he lay seriously injured on the floor before they all fled the scene without calling for help for their stricken target.
“She is seen and heard to be directing what was going on, she was seen to move a bin with a view to help others get into the premises and heard to be shouting ‘go on, get in, he is a ****, go on get him’."
Nunn, of Sandringham Road, Thornaby, was convicted of aggravated burglary and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Her boyfriend, 24-year-old Shilham, of Harrowgate Lane, Stockton, had denied the same charges but was convicted. He had pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article.
The third defendant, Hobson, of Sun Gardens, Thornaby, had denied both charges and also denied the possession of an offensive weapon - a pool cue, but was convicted of all charges.
All three were sentenced to a total of 18 years in custody.
Darlington arsonist
A thug who hit a man in the face before stealing his e-bike turned up at his victim’s house the following day with an axe demanding he hand over the charger.
Brian Todd used a heavy object to strike his victim across the nose before stealing his e-bike and riding off.
The following day he threatened the victim with an axe while wearing a mask and demanded he handover the charger.
A few months later, the 31-year-old travelled to the Middlesbrough area where he threw a petrol bomb through the window of a bungalow where an elderly couple lived.
Teesside Crown Court heard how Todd was identified from CCTV footage from a nearby shop where he bought a lighter while smelling strongly of petrol.
Ashleigh Leach, prosecuting, said the robbery took place in August last year when they were walking along Geneva Road in Darlington.
Todd left his victim with blood all over his face before turning up the next day wearing a mask, carrying an axe and demanding the charger for the e-bike.
Todd, of Dumfries Street, Darlington, pleaded guilty to robbery, possession of an offensive weapon, and arson being reckless as to whether life would be endangered.
Paul Abrahams, mitigating, said his client was effectively homeless at the time of the offences and had fallen in with a bad crowd.
Recorder David Kelly sentenced Todd to a total of eight years and six months for all offences.
“You claimed your actions were simply at the sway of a local drug dealer but there is no evidence of that.
“Your financial motive is laid bare by the fact that the following day you went back to his house with an axe and demanded he hand over the charger,” he said.
Attempted murder
A man who repeatedly stabbed a woman he had farmed a 'bizarre' relationship with has been locked up for attempted murder.
David Fletcher was only thwarted when another woman bravely grappled with him as he tried to stab his victim over and over.
Graphic footage of the violent attack was shown at Teesside Crown Court when the 62-year-old was sentenced for the attack in Durham earlier this year.
The judge heard how Fletcher dragged the victim between two buildings off Churchill Square, Gilesgate, and began stabbing her with a knife.
As she screamed out for help, a woman ran over and attempted to prevent the attack by trying to grab the knife from Fletcher.
In a victim impact statement, she said: “Since the attack, I have not been able to trust even my closest friends and find myself constantly on edge with people.
“My mental health has seen a major decline since the incident, resulting in me becoming secluded, isolated, and a shell of my former self.”
The court heard how Fletcher has 11 previous convictions including one for dangerous driving when he rammed his Transit van into another vehicle where the same victim was a passenger and another for violence against her.
Fletcher, of Dean Road, South Shields, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, possession of a bladed article and assault occasioning actual bodily harm following the violent attack on May 2 this year.
He said: “You attacked her with a knife, she shouted for help a number of times but you continued to attack her even after she was knocked to the ground.
“Her cries attracted the attention of local residents; a woman left her home and intervened. With considerable courage she sought to tackle you and prise the knife from your grasp.
“She managed to disarm you but in the course of the struggle you injured her with the knife. You threatened her and swiped the knife towards her.”
The North East man was told he would serve 17 years in custody before serving a further four years on extended licence.
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