Four killers among those jailed in November at Leicester Crown Court

Four killers are among the people who were jailed by Leicester Crown Court[1] during November. Three of them were found guilty of murder and locked up for life, while the fourth was jailed for 18 years for manslaughter. The jail sentences follow three murder trials that were going on at the same time at the courthouse in Wellington Street, Leicester, during the month.

Kyle Morley, Katie Tidmarsh, Daryoush Kholghnik and Talib Mombeini were all found guilty by jurors of the crimes that saw them put away for many years. Below are their stories, as well as some of the other criminals locked up for a wide range of offences, including drug dealing, burglary and robbery.

Daryoush Kholghnik and Talib Mombeini

Two men who fell for a fake counterfeit cash plot ended up kidnapping their scammer and torturing him to death.

Daryoush Kholghnik and Talib Mombeini leapt into Tala Tala's car outside his home in Braunstone[3], forcing him to drive them away at knifepoint. He was taken to a house in Harrow Road, Westcotes, Leicester, where the men demanded to be repaid GBP32,000 they had handed over for the illegal scheme. His body, found by police the next day, had 196 knife wounds.

Mombeini, 37, and Kholghnik, 34, both of Vaughan Way, Leicester city centre[4], were jailed at Leicester Crown Court. Kholghnik was found guilty of murder, kidnap and two counts of blackmail. Mombeini was found not guilty of murder but guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

He had previously pleaded guilty to kidnap. Judge Philip Head sentenced Kholghnik to life in prison, with a minimum of 31 years before he can be considered for parole. Mombeini was jailed for 18 years and both men, who are Iranian asylum seekers, were warned they could face deportation after their release from prison.

Judge Head told them: "He was tortured. Over some hours he bled to death. He was moaning.

He must have been in terrible pain and aware he was approaching death." Read the full story here.[5]

Katie Tidmarsh

A woman convicted of wounding and later murdering her adopted daughter was jailed for life with a minimum of 17 years at Leicester Crown Court. Katie Tidmarsh had been found guilty by a jury of killing one-year-old Ruby Thompson, who had been placed with Tidmarsh and her husband five months earlier by Leicestershire County Council[6].

During her trial, the court heard the injuries caused to Ruby were equivalent to a fall from a second-storey window or a road accident at 60mph. Ruby had been violently shaken and her head had been bashed against a hard object, breaking her skull. In August 2012 emergency services were called to the couple's home in Pickwell Close, Glenfield, and Leicestershire Police[7] arrived to find the baby unconscious and rushed her to Leicester Royal Infirmary[8].

She died in hospital two days later. When questioned by police, Tidmarsh lied and said Ruby had rolled over backwards and banged her head on the rug. But a post-mortem examination revealed the full extent of Ruby's injuries.

Sentencing Tidmarsh, Mr Justice Wall said he did not think she intended to kill the youngster in the assault, which happened just days after Ruby's first birthday. He said: "You abused her that morning and then have lied to cover up what you did. She was a happy and contented child who brought great pleasure to those who knew her and her death has affected [her foster carers] greatly."

He said the same was true of Ruby's birth parents, who were still grieving and also upset "that Ruby was given to someone who treated her the way that you did." Read the full story here.[9]

Kyle Morley

Morley was jailed for life with a minimum of 18 years and six months behind bars after being convicted by a jury of murdering his friend, David Bettison. The attack happened in a playground in Hugglescote, near Coalville[10], after the men had been out drinking in pubs with two other friends.

Morley, who had also been taking cocaine that night, admitted he did attack Bettison, who he found in a sexual encounter with his ex-girlfriend, but claimed it was not murder - he never meant to really hurt him and just lost control. But the 43-year-old victim suffered horrific injuries, leaving his face so badly damaged he could no longer breathe. Morley, 29, of St Bernards Road, Whitwick, also punched his ex-girlfriend hard in the face, knocking her out.

Before the trial he pleaded guilty to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm against the 23-year-old woman. Jailing Morley, Judge Timothy Spencer KC told the father of four: "You murdered David Bettison. He was loved and admired as a son and a father.

500 people turned up at the celebration of his life, which is a testament to just what a good friend he was to so many. "The two of you were genuine friends. How, Kyle Morley, could it come to this?"

Read the full story here.[11]

Simon Crawley

A jealous ex-boyfriend broke into a woman's home armed with knives and cable ties and attached ropes to her bed before going to hide in the attic. The incident happened in Thringstone, near Coalville[12], in April, about a year after Simon Crawley and the victim had separated after 12 years together. In the months leading up to April he had sent threatening messages to the woman, saying he planned to harm her.

Then, on the evening of Sunday, April 23, the woman got to her house after driving her new boyfriend home when she noticed the back door was not closing property and the garden gate was open. Frightened, she phoned a friend and carefully searched the house, but no one was inside. As she looked around her garden she noticed a rabbit hutch and her lawnmower had been removed from the shed, and, as she approached, Crawley leapt out of the shed shouting.

The terrified woman ran back through the house and into the street, shouting for a neighbour to call the police, as Crawley chased her. Crawley had fled the area by the time Leicestershire Police arrived in the village. At about 11pm the same day, the woman returned to the house with her new boyfriend and another friend.

On entering, she could smell cigarette smoke, and feared Crawley had returned. Upstairs, in her bedroom, several ropes had been tied to the wooden frame of her bed, and Crawley had urinated all over the bathroom. The sounds of footsteps were heard overhead, and the woman and the other two quickly wedged the access to the attic closed so Crawley could not escape.

He was yelling at them, shouting, "You're dead", as they called the police. When Crawley was removed from the attic by officers, he had two bags containing a roll of gaffer tape, two packs of cable ties, two Stanley knives, a multi-tool and a pair of scissors. A kitchen knife Crawley had brought to the house was found in the attic.

Crawley, 34, of South Road, Chapel St Leonards, near Skegness, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with intent to cause grievous bodily harm 10 weeks before a trial had been due to begin. At Leicester Crown Court he was jailed for eight-and-a-half-years. An 11-year restraining order was also ordered by the judge, banning Crawley from Thringstone.

Aaron Winston

A drunk dealer was caught screaming at people while armed with three knives.

Aaron Winston was only one month into a two-year suspended sentence for drug dealing when the incident happened in Leicester's Saffron Lane. At about 8pm on Saturday, September 23, Leicestershire Police were called to the street where Winston, 34, who lives in the road, was randomly shouting and screaming at members of the public. Prosecutor Rawaid Javed told Leicester Crown Court on Friday that Winston was searched by the officers and found to have three knives on him.

He also had previous convictions for carrying knives from 2008, 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2022. He was on a suspended sentence for possessing drugs with intent to supply at the time. Jailing Winston for 27 months, Recorder Justin Wigoder told him: "You were in public, on the streets of Leicester, with three knives in your trousers.

You were shouting abuse and threats towards members of the public and that's far from the first occasion that you had knives in public. "The public is sick and tired of people taking knives out in public for the simple reason that when people use them they can cause serious injury and death." As well as admitting three counts of possessing blades in public, Winston had pleaded guilty to a further count of criminal damage for spitting in the police van as he was taken away.

Read the full story here.[13]

Joe Williams

A burglar broke into a widower's home, stealing his dead wife's gold jewellery, ransacking several rooms and leaving his blood all over the house. Joe Williams, 33, had smashed his way in through a rear door of the property in Tithe Street, Humberstone[14], Leicester, cutting himself badly. As he went around the house looking for valuables, he left bloodstains that were later analysed and matched to his DNA.

Williams, who has previous convictions for theft and numerous public order offences, pleaded guilty to committing the burglary on Saturday, October 29 last year. At the time of that offence he was already on police bail for public disorder and possessing a knife during an incident in Repton, Derbyshire, in May last year. During that incident he was shouting and swearing in the street while armed with a kitchen knife after having a row with a woman he had been in a "toxic relationship" with.

Williams, of Ravensworth Close, Hamilton, Leicester, appeared at Leicester Crown Court for sentencing. As well as burglary, he admitted charges of possessing a blade and using threatening words of behaviour. Judge Spencer told Williams he had significantly reduced the jail sentence he would otherwise be getting because of the efforts Williams had made to keep out of trouble over the past year.

He said: "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to lock you up today. Williams was jailed for 10 months. Read the full story here.[15]

John Mills

A convicted rapist out on parole made a spate of hoax 999 calls, including a claim there had been a stabbing at a Hinckley[16] infant school.

Over four days earlier this year 51-year-old John Mills made four 999 calls including reports of a bomb and a gunman. Mills had made similar hoax phone calls decades ago, being convicted in 1989, 1991 and 1998 of similar offences. Then in 2002 he was given a life sentence for rape and spent about 14 years behind bars before being released on parole in 2016.

He was recalled to prison after the hoax calls in March this year. In the first call, on Saturday, March 4, he called Leicestershire Police to tell them there was a bomb in Ashford Road, Hinckley, leading to police going to the area. In the next call he phoned the police and pretended to be in peril, telling the operator: "Help, he's got a gun."

The next call was to falsely report that someone had been stabbed at Westfield Infant School in Ashford Road. The final call, on Tuesday, March 7, was a false report that someone had been stabbed in Coventry Road, in Hinckley. Mills was given a six-week jail sentence that will be served alongside his current life sentence for rape.

When he is eventually released he will have 28 days to pay a GBP154 victim surcharge and GBP85 court costs. Read the full story here.[17]

Solomon Duncan

A coffee shop owner became a crack cocaine dealer after the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic ruined his business, leaving him with huge debts. Having given up the coffee business, Syston dad-of-three Solomon Duncan built up a large customer base for his drug sales by the beginning of 2023, selling class A illegal substances to dozens of people around the Leicester area.

He had been under surveillance by Leicestershire Police when they arrested him earlier this year. On the evening of Saturday, April 15, officers followed Duncan along Fosse Road South, in Leicester, and saw him park his black Peugeot in Sweetbriar Road, Westcotes, and head towards Winchester Avenue on foot. The officers went to arrest him and he tried to flee, throwing a satchel containing two mobile phones, scales and other items as he ran.

When he was intercepted, GBP315 cash and an illegal lock knife was found on him, and a clingfilm roll of crack and heroin fell out of his pocket - later found to have drugs in it worth about GBP1,000. The detectives looked at his phones and found 64 mass-marketing messages about class A drugs that had up to 177 recipients. However, Duncan initially denied the offences, before changing his pleas to guilty a week before a trial was due to start at Leicester Crown Court.

He was back at the court to be sentenced for possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply, possessing heroin with intent to supply, driving whilst disqualified and carrying a blade in public. Judge Keith Raynor told Duncan: "Class A drugs cause misery. They cause misery to individuals, misery to communities and cause public money to have to be spent in many ways." He jailed Duncan, 43, of Spinney Close, Syston, for four years.

Read the full story here.[18]

Kade O'Callaghan

Three thugs beat up a man who tried to stop them from stealing his electric bike, which was chained up at Haymarket Bus Station. The man had been returning to his cycle in Leicester city centre at about 6pm on Friday, July 21, when he saw one of the men break the lock using an umbrella. He rushed to try to grab his bike to stop the group from taking it and one of the three, 18-year-old Kade O'Callaghan, attacked him, punching him numerous times and kicking him, sending him falling into the road where traffic was driving past in Belgrave Gate.

O'Callaghan's accomplice, who had the umbrella, ran at the man and hit him with it while the third man rode off on the e-bike, which was worth GBP1,200. The man suffered grazing and bruises to his face, arms and back. O'Callaghan, who has 15 previous convictions, was recognised from CCTV footage by police officers who had dealt with him in the past on the Braunstone estate.

He was arrested and charged with robbery, which he pleaded guilty to. The 18-year-old appeared at Leicester Crown Court, where he also faced sentencing for burglary, theft and handling stolen goods, which he had also admitted. O'Callaghan, of Church Street, Thurmaston, appeared at the hearing via video link because he is currently in youth detention for three other offences - criminal damage, public disorder and possessing cannabis - for which he had been locked up three weeks earlier.

Jailing O'Callaghan for a further 27 months, Recorder David Bedenham said that O'Callaghan's young age was his only mitigation. Describing the Haymarket Bus Station robbery, he said: "As a result of your actions, injuries were caused - you used significant force in the commissioning of the offence. "Aggravating factors include the location - there were numerous members of the public including children around."

Read the full story here.[19]

References

1. ^ Leicester Crown Court (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
2. ^ Locked up in October - thugs, dealers and a child abuser (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
3. ^ Braunstone (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
4. ^ Leicester city centre (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
5. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
6. ^ Leicestershire County Council (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
7. ^ Leicestershire Police (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
8. ^ Leicester Royal Infirmary (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
9. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
10. ^ Coalville (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
11. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
12. ^ Coalville (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
13. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
14. ^ Humberstone (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
15. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
16. ^ Hinckley (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
17. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
18. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)
19. ^ Read the full story here. (www.leicestermercury.co.uk)