Locked up in June: An attack gang, crash driver, knifeman and more
June has been another busy month in the city's courts[1]. A teenage driver who crashed into three pedestrians when he lost control of his car while speeding and “showing off” at an illegal car meet was sent to youth detention.
A robber, who stole more than £860 in cash after threatening a shop assistant he had a knife, was jailed for nearly three years. And there gang members who bound and gagged a rival before stabbing and beating him - filming the entire ordeal - were jailed for a combined total of 34 years.
Here, court reporter Martin Naylor [2]highlights a few more of the more serious cases we covered this month as we reach the halfway point in the year:
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Harrison Cudworth
Teenage driver Harrison Cudworth crashed into three pedestrians when he lost control of his car while speeding and “showing off” at an illegal car meet. The 19-year-old, who was 18 at the time, was told he “used a public road as a racetrack” when one of his victims was “thrown into a thorn bush,” and suffered a broken pelvis after the BMW he was driving struck her as she watched the cars.
The defendant stayed at the scene, approached a female police[4] officer and told her “it’s my fault, I was skidding and showing off”. And the A Level student his car hit spent a number of days in hospital and has had to give up on her dreams of going to university as a consequence.
Sending him to youth detention for two years and two months, Judge Steven Coupland said: “The really frightening thing about this is that you have no control over the seriousness of the injuries you caused because you were out of control. Even as an immature 18-year-old you must have known what you were doing was foolish and highly-dangerous. You used a public road as a racetrack.
“She spent more than a week in hospital with a fractured pelvis and the effects on her, not just physical but mental, were huge. She could not walk as a result, suffered muscle wasting and gained weight which affected her self-esteem.
“Everybody in life makes thousands of decisions each day and this is an example of one person making a very bad decision on that day.”
The incident took place on the A608 Mansfield[5] Road, close to junction 27 of the M1, near Annesley, on January 14, 2023. Cudworth, of Ash Grove. Sutton-in-Ashfield, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
Harrison Cudworth -Credit:Nottinghamshire Police
Newark cannabis conspiracy
A huge cannabis conspiracy worth hundreds of thousands of pounds was uncovered when Border Force officials intercepted 5kg of the drug at Stansted Airport destined for Nottinghamshire. The discovery of that package, which had come from Los Angeles, led to raids on two properties in Newark where it was discovered that one of the four people involved had made 5,000 illegal cannabis sweets.
The bank account of ringleader Taylor Kennedy showed that more than £170,000 had passed through it during a 12-month period. And prosecutors claimed as much as 20kg of the highly-addictive class B drug could have been imported, bought and sold during the 15 months the conspiracy ran.
Sentencing Kennedy, Leona Churton, Emily Davies and John Jones at Nottingham Crown Court, Judge Steven Coupland said: “Each of you had different roles but you were all part of a team and ultimately the amount of cannabis netted hundreds of thousands of pounds. This was an operation on a large scale and it was sophisticated and professional.
“You four don’t need me to tell you that anybody that gets involved in the supply of drugs ruins people’s lives.”
Yhe package was intercepted at Stansted Airport on January 31, 2022, and the 5kg seized had a street value of around £50,000. She said the home address of Churton was raided, Jones was present, and around 387g more of the drug was found along with paraphernalia.
Analysis of mobile phones which were seized showed Jones had been making the cannabis sweets under the direction of Kennedy and Churton had been packaging and selling them. All of the defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cannabis between January 2021 and March 2022. None of them have any previous convictions.
Kennedy, 27, of Lilac Close, Newark, was sent to prison for three years and nine months.
Churton, 26, a former family support worker for young people, of Windsor Close, Collingham, was handed a 12-month jail term, suspended for 18 months, with 50 hours unpaid work.
Davies, 26, of Lilac Close, Newark, was jailed for nine months, suspended for 18 months, with 10 rehabilitation sessions and 50 hours unpaid work.
And Jones, 50, of Windsor Close, Collingham, who is currently wheelchair-bound due to COPD and emphysema, was handed a 21-month prison term, suspended for two years with 10 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service.
A Proceeds of Crime hearing, which could see the quartet stripped of cash and assets, will take place at a future date.
Three members of a cannabis importation gang outside Nottingham Crown Court. (from left) Leona Churton, 26, of Windsor Close, Collingham, John Jones, 50, of Windsor Close, Collingham, Emily Davies, 26, of Lilac Close, Newark
Liam Worton
Robber Liam Worton, who stole more than £860 in cash after threatening a shop assistant he had a knife, was jailed for two years and 11 months. The 31-year-old, of Chatsworth Drive, Hucknall[6], raided the Peppers Stores in Watnall Road, Hucknall[7], on January 7, 2023.
The defendant had first attended the store around 5pm when he grabbed cans of lager and was caught on CCTV leaving after making no attempt to pay. Around an hour later, a member of staff was in the storeroom when she heard the shop door open. As she walked back to the till she saw a man with a hood tight over his face had entered the shop and was walking towards her.
When the man reached the counter he ordered the shop worker to open the till and said he had a knife in his pocket. In her statement to the police[8], the woman told how she “panicked” as she “felt trapped behind the counter”.
She therefore opened the till and the man, later identified to be Worton, grabbed the cash and fled the scene. The defendant pleaded guilty to robbery and theft. Detective Constable Christine Hewlett, of Nottinghamshire Police[9], said: "The victim must have been extremely frightened when she was confronted by a robber with his face covered and claiming to have a knife. She was simply doing her job and no one deserves to be threatened with violence while at work.
"Thankfully we were able to quickly identify a suspect and arrest Worton. He denied the offence in interview but detectives were able to build a strong case against him during our investigation. Anyone carrying out a robbery like this with threats to hard-working members of the public can expect a robust response from the force and I am pleased the judge has seen fit to put him behind bars."
Taylor Kennedy led the conspiracy -Credit:Nottinghamshire Police
Shaun Hill
Knifeman Shaun Hill slashed a stranger from behind from the corner of his mouth to his ear, then calmly walked to a nearby pub for a beer. The 33-year-old spotted the man waiting for a taxi in Forest Street, Sutton in Ashfield, [10] when he decided to attack him on December 6, 2023.
The defendant lit a cigarette, walked close to the man and waited for someone to walk past. When they had gone he grabbed the man from behind and slashed his face several times, before walking away, still smoking the cigarette.
Hill's victim suffered a deep gash from the corner of his mouth to his ear as well as another wound to his jaw. After the random attack, Hill returned to a pub he had been in earlier that evening and when police [11] arrested him he was trying to leave with a glass of beer in his hand.
Police found the knife he'd used and the defendant, of Bamford Drive, Mansfield[12], was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing a knife in public, which he later pleaded guilty to. On June 24, Hill was jailed for nine years at Nottingham Crown Court.
Detective Constable Rebecca Pottage, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was a horrendous attack that was seemingly committed completely at random by Hill. The way in which he casually walked up to and away from his victim after doing what he did was truly unsettling to see.
“His decision to target his unsuspecting victim in this appalling manner left the man with devastating injuries and scars to his face that he’ll have to carry forever. This incident sadly shows the life-altering impact those who decide to carry a knife can cause to others, as well as themselves.
“We still don’t know exactly why Hill chose to do what he did that evening, but what is clear is that he is a dangerous man who belongs behind bars. Bearing this in mind, we’re pleased to see Hill has now received a lengthy prison sentence, which we hope will provide some form of comfort to his victim.”
Darnell Fuller
Nottingham drug dealer Darnell Fuller thought he was safe from being arrested because he sold crack cocaine to users over the border in Leicestershire. But when police [13] raided his home in Kennington Road, between Wollaton [14] and Lenton [15], they found all the evidence they needed to lock him up - including a gun with live ammunition.
Fuller sold crack to people in Coalville, Ellistown, Hugglescote and Shepshed, along with Jamie Pladgeman, of Curlew Close, Mountsorrel in Leicestershire, who was Fuller's local contact. The pair had used multiple phone numbers to send bulk texts to known drug users offering the chance to buy highly-addictive class A drug crack cocaine, as well as heroin.
The raids on both Fuller and Pladgeman's homes took place in March 2022, when both were arrested. The search of Fuller’s home uncovered mobile phones, cash and wraps of drugs which proved their links to dealing, as well as the firearm.
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Fuller, 25, later pleaded guilty to supplying crack cocaine and heroin and illegally possessing a firearm. He has been jailed for seven years.
Pladgeman, 33, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack and heroin. He was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Detective Constable Chris Fox, of Leicestershire police said: “Fuller and Pladgeman were part of a wider group who developed a system targeting vulnerable people in our communities. They knew by sending bulk text messages, drug users would come forward.
“By operating from Nottinghamshire, I believe they thought they wouldn’t be caught. Pladgeman was their local contact within Leicestershire and he was seen selling drugs on the streets of North West Leicestershire on several occasions.
“Tackling the supply of drugs – and the operations of county lines gangs – is a priority for the force and I hope the communities where this group was operating can take some comfort from the fact their crimes have been uncovered and that they have been sentenced.”
Liam Worton told the shop worker "open the till, I have a knife" -Credit:Nottinghamshire Police
Bradley Scoffield
Over eight months, Bradley Scoffield broke his then-girlfriend's nose, slashed her legs with keys and threatened to kill her. The 20-year-old, of Ruthwell Gardens, Bestwood[17], was given a two-and-a-half year prison sentence at Nottingham Crown Court [18] on Thursday, June 20. The court heard from Scoffield's victim, who said she still suffered from flashbacks and panic attacks.
Standing bravely but visibly shaking as Scoffield looked on, she said: “Every time I look at my body I’m reminded of the things he did to me. He made me feel like no-one else wanted me or loved me.
Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp [19]
"He would take it upon himself to threaten to hurt my family. The day he assaulted me and broke my nose is the most scared I’ve ever been. I thought he was going to kill me.
“Never can I forget what he did. I still feel like a puppet and he controls my brain. I’ve never been able to believe I can be loved again.
“He changed my life for the worse. How can someone who claims to love and care for me threaten to kill me so many times?" The victim eventually came forward about the abuse on February 9 and Scoffield was arrested on March 12.
Shaun Hill has been jailed for nine years. Police say he's a dangerous man
Aspley attack trio
Three gang members who bound and gagged a rival before stabbing and beating him - filming the entire ordeal - were jailed for a combined total of 34 years. Salvadore Hall, Nathan Rochester and Olivia Williams broke Vincent Jordan's bones in multiple places and stabbed him repeatedly [20] in an attack lasting around 80 minutes.
He had escaped and collapsed in the Esso petrol station on Nuthall Road, in Aspley, [21] on April 2 last year after the attack. Police [22] were called - but he would not tell police who he thought the attackers were and instead detectives had to piece together information themselves to work it out.
The investigation found that Jordan had met Olivia Williams, 25 at her address in Keverne Close after travelling there by taxi. The pair went inside - which is when the attack took place. He was handcuffed, beaten, stabbed and had his dreadlocks cut from his head. The parts of the assault which were filmed were later posted on social media.
Darnell Fuller was jailed for seven years -Credit:Leicestershire police
The trio then made desperate attempts to hide what they had done at the property by cleaning extensively and ripping up the carpets. But Hall, 32, of HMP Nottingham, was caught after being identified as a suspect and then seen by officers on patrol throwing a bag containing the victim's hair and covered in his blood, as well as a gun, out of a car window.
Rochester, also 32, was arrested after evidence from his mobile phone revealed he had been in regular contact with Williams both before the incident and about the clean-up of the property afterwards. He had also made threats to the victim and his family after the attack.
Bradley Scoffield, 20, of Ruthwell Gardens, Bestwood -Credit:Nottinghamshire Police
All three attackers denied the offences but were found guilty following their trial at Nottingham Crown Court of false imprisonment and committing grievous bodily harm with intent. Hall had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
Hall was jailed for a total of 16 years. Rochester, of HMP Ranby, received a sentence of 10 years behind bars and Williams, of Grange Road, Torquay was locked up for eight years.
Detective Constable Bethanie Foster, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Thankfully incidents of this nature are extremely rare in Nottinghamshire and we believe this brutal attack was motivated by a gang feud. The level of violence displayed was shocking and the victim is fortunate not to have suffered even more serious or lasting injuries.
“The filming of the incident, seemingly to humiliate the victim, also showed another level of depravity so I am pleased the judge has seen fit to hand down such considerable sentences. Detectives who worked on the case were presented with an extremely challenging investigation to discover what had happened to this victim before he collapsed in the petrol station.
Salvadore Hall was jailed for 16 years -Credit:Nottinghamshire Police
“They worked quickly and efficiently, and with the help of uniformed colleagues tracked down three offenders in the days following the attack before building a watertight case against them. Although the defendants continued to deny their involvement we remained confident a jury would find them guilty of these extremely serious offences.
“I hope the wider community is reassured that when confronted with violent incidents of this nature, and challenging, complex investigations to unravel, we leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice."
References
- ^ in the city's courts (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ court reporter Martin Naylor (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsA (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ police (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Mansfield (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Hucknall (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Hucknall (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ police (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Police (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Sutton in Ashfield, (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ police (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Mansfield (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ police (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Wollaton (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Lenton (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Bestwood (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Nottingham Crown Court (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Get the latest news straight to your phone by joining us on WhatsApp (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ broke Vincent Jordan's bones in multiple places and stabbed him repeatedly (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Aspley, (www.nottinghampost.com)
- ^ Police (www.nottinghampost.com)