Gunman, dog beater and kidnappers among criminals jailed in June
Four kidnappers jailed for a total of 54 years after brutally attacking two men was one of the most high-profile North Staffordshire court cases heard in June. Also caged during the month was a gunman who twice terrified a couple by shooting his weapon in their street, a cruel thug who beat a dog, a drug dealer, a dangerous driver, and violent dustheads.
Our reporters cover the latest proceedings at North Staffordshire Justice Centre[1], Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[2], Stafford Crown Court[3] and other courts when local people are in the dock. Here’s a round-up of the cases where criminals have been sent to prison by courts in and around the area over the course of the month:
James Bedson
James Bedson
Gun-firing James Bedson terrified a couple by twice shooting his weapon in their street. The 22-year-old fired his air weapon outside their Crackley[4] home a week after pointing a gun out of his car window and threatening, ‘Do you want me blast you duck?’.
The firearms offences happened a few months after he mowed down a man in Asda car park, Wolstanton[5]. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[6] heard the victim was thrown on to the bonnet and then on to the floor and required hospital treatment.
Bedson, who was subject to a suspended jail sentence at the time of the offending, was jailed for five years. Prosecutor Richard Davenport said the trouble started after an incident between the defendant’s sister and another girl.
Richard Reid
Richard Reid pleaded guilty to violent disorder and section 20 wounding.
A knifeman left a clubber injured after they became embroiled in a street brawl in Hanley city centre. Richard Reid became involved in an altercation with the man in a club before the trouble spilled outside on to Trinity Street in the early hours.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[8] heard the 33-year-old used a knife to slash at the man who was armed with a metal pole. Ten months later, Reid entered his ex partner’s home, cut up her clothes and dumped them in the bath.
He stabbed her with a screwdriver and kicked her to her body on the street outside. Reid was jailed for 45 months.
Dovydas Smilginis, Mohamed Nasar, Egidijus Savickas and Modestas Stokus
Clockwise from top left: Dovydas Smilginis, 34, of London; Mohamed Nasar, 39, of Birmingham; Egidijus Savickas, 28, of Bootle, Merseyside; and Modestas Stokus, 31, of Dudley (Image: Staffordshire Police)
Four kidnappers who armed themselves with knives and baseball bats before brutally attacking two men were jailed for a total of 54 years. The gang travelled from across the country to get to their victims – who were not expecting any trouble – in Chesterton[10] in December 2022.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[11] heard Modestas Stokus met the pair and they went with him to his car which was then driven to secluded Meadow Street, surrounded by industrial buildings. It had been pre-selected by the group as the ideal location.
Once there, the other defendants – who had been lying in wait – pepper-sprayed their victims in the eyes, dragged them out of the vehicle, attacked them, bound them with duct tape, interrogated them, and threw them into the boots of two cars.
Matthew Keay
Matthew Keay, of Wyndham Road, Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent
A Blurton man was jailed for three years after subjecting a woman to a ‘horrific’ attack. Matthew Keay covered his victim with a bedsheet, held his hand over her mouth and punched her repeatedly.
He continued to attack her after she fell to the floor. The 35-year-old, of Wyndham Road, Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, was sentenced at Chester Crown Court.
He had previously pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation. He also admitted being in possession of a class A drug.
Lyndon Kendall
Lyndon Kendall pictured in 2021.
Drug dealer Lyndon Kendall barricaded his door to allow him time to flush something down the toilet during a raid. But police searched the property and recovered 4.6 grams of crack cocaine worth up to £480 as well as scales and a mobile phone which contained messages advertising the sale of drugs.
Kendall was jailed for 42 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[14]. Prosecutor Nigel Stelling said officers went to the defendant’s address on August 21 last year.
Kendall, of Unwin Street Bradeley[15], pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a class A drug between August 1 and August 22 last year.
Tyler Steele
Tyler Steele returned to the house to defend his actions after being caught on video repeatedly hitting a puppy
Cruel thug Tyler Steele was jailed after he was caught on camera beating up a dog. The 28-year-old sparked outrage across Stoke-on-Trent and the rest of the country after he was filmed hitting the XL Bully puppy in Hanley[17] last year.
And on a separate occasion the cocaine user was captured on CCTV throwing the animal from a stationary vehicle across a road in Berry Hill[18]. Steele – who admitted two charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal – was jailed for 18 weeks at North Staffordshire Justice Centre[19].
Prosecutor Joanne Fox said Steele threw the dog across the road from a car on May 2 last year. And on July 7 doorbell footage from an address in Poundlock Avenue, Hanley, captured him punching the pup when it was not doing what he wanted it to.
Kevin Bradburn
Kevin Bradburn pictured in 2021.
Jealous Kevin Bradburn beat his step brother senseless and hit a child twice in a terrifying night of violence. The 37-year-old had been drinking when he went to his ex’s home at 3am, woke one of her children and demanded to know where her mum was.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[21] heard he then slapped the schoolgirl before entering the living room and carrying out a vicious, unprovoked attack on his step brother who was babysitting at the address.
He struck him six times to the head with a wine bottle, leaving him needing hospital treatment. At one point, one of the children was so scared they jumped out of a window. Bradburn was jailed for two-and-a-half-years.
Marcus Oultram
Marcus Oultram
Police released a mugshot of dangerous driver Marcus Oultram after he made vile comments to a police officer. The 32-year-old was jailed for 18 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[23] last week after he took his grandma’s car and crashed into a wall in a block of flats at the junction with Novi Lane and Abbotts Road, Leek[24].
He ran from the scene on December 27. After his arrest he became violent and aggressive with the police. He said to the officers: ‘I will smash every single one of you. I will find out where you live. I will rape your kids. Do you know I have got Aids?’.
“He moved his hands, which were covered in blood, towards an officer’s face. He said, ‘I will bite your nose clean off your face. I hope your children get cancer. I will pay someone to rape you. I hope your parents die.”
Michael Doherty
Michael Doherty was jailed at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court.
Dad Michael Doherty was jailed after he drove the wrong way on the A500[26] during a lengthy police chase. The 31-year-old’s Audi had a flat tyre and was being driven on its rim as he made his way along Trinity Street, Hanley[27], on the wrong side.
He then went through Kidsgrove[28] and back on to the A500 where he drove on the wrong carriageway and forced oncoming traffic to take evasive action to avoid a crash. At one point, he played chicken with another driver. When he eventually came to a stop in Longport, he threatened to blow an officer’s head off.
Doherty was locked up for 22 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[29] after racking up his seventh conviction for dangerous driving. And he has been banned from driving for five years and 11 months, and until he passes an extended re-test.
Nathan Baker
Nathan Baker admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and making threats to kill. He is pictured in 2019.
Woman beater Nathan Baker stripped naked and threatened to kill his ex and if she did not say ‘I love you’. The nude 39-year-old placed his hands around his victim’s neck and strangled her ‘on-and-off for one minute’ as he ordered her to profess her love.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[31] heard he then locked her inside the address and returned later drunk. As she tried to escape the address, Baker woke up and launched another attack.
Now the repeat domestic abuser, of Tulip Grove, Newcastle, has been sent to jail.
Jesse Dyche, Stephen Thorogood and Ethan Beech
Jesse Dyche
Gunman Jesse Dyche ambushed a man in a Stoke-on-Trent alleyway – and gunned him down. The man had left his Bentilee home and was on his way to the shops and the bookies when he came face-to-face with the gunman.
He was shot in the leg and left needing three bouts of surgery. The pre-planned operation saw Dyche team up with partner-in-crime Stephen Thorogood before sourcing a getaway car, wearing balaclavas, and having passports ready to check into a hotel overnight.
Stephen Thorogood
The men were driven away from the scene by getaway driver Ethan Beech. But no-one still knows why the shooting happened at 3pm on a Wednesday afternoon last August.
27-year-old Dyche, of Leek Road, Stoke-on-Trent, and 45-year-old Thorogood, of Chelmsford Drive, Bentilee[33], were both jailed for nine years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[34].
Ethan Beech
They had both pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life. Beech, aged 19, of Fell Street, Smallthorne[35], has been jailed for 20 months after he admitted assisting an offender.
William Smith
William Smith, aged 23, was charged with assault by beating but it was withdrawn by the prosecution and he will be offered a conditional caution.
A row over music ended with a man attacking his flatmate’s boyfriend and threatening them with a knife. Taylor Swift stage erector William Smith, 23, punched his victim after an argument broke out over how loud music was being played at their Shelton flat.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[37] heard the flatmate – a woman – had asked Smith to turn down the volume. But he responded by turning it up and saying: ‘How do you like this you f*****g sl*g. I’ll do you’.
CCTV in the hallway then captured him punching the male victim before getting a knife and lunging at him. The defendant, of Aynsley Road, Shelton[38], was jailed for 12 months.
Benjamin Heath
Benjamin Heath
Bricklayer Benjamin Heath subjected his ex’s dad to a vicious attack after turning up at his home in the early hours of the morning. The 34-year-old could not provide an explanation as to why he entered the property and assaulted his victim.
But Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[40] heard he delivered numerous blows leaving the man with a 5cm cut to his head. At one point, the terrified victim feared for his life and picked up a chair to protect himself.
Heath was jailed for 40 months. Prosecutor Antony Longworth said the victims were the parents of Heath’s former partner. They were asleep in bed at 3am on December 7 when they heard a noise downstairs and went to investigate.
Malinda Shaw
Malinda Shaw
A mum is in prison with her daughter – after being caged for a knifepoint robbery. Malinda Shaw had an arrangement to sleep and grab a bath at her ex-partner’s address – despite their 15-year relationship ending last October.
But when Shaw was stood up by her ex-partner she grabbed a kitchen knife and demanded £100. The incident was captured on CCTV inside the property earlier this year.
Emmanuel Coniah, prosecuting, said: “Ms Shaw repeatedly said the victim had to give her the money or she’d stab him and she pushed it against the victim and jabbed the knife towards him.”
Daniel Hodgkinson
Daniel Hodgkinson
Monkey dust user Daniel Hodgkinson smashed his way inside a house with two children inside while their mum had gone to the shop. The 37-year-old terrified the youngsters as he stole keys to a Peugeot car before driving off at speed.
He then reversed into a taxi, leaving it a write-off, before driving to his family’s home. His brother called the police and said, ‘My dusthead brother has just arrived. There is a car outside, I think he has nicked it’.
Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[43] heard the defendant ran off and was found by police with a screwdriver. He tested positive for cocaine at the roadside but failed to give a sample of blood in custody. Now Hodgkinson has been jailed for two years.
Peter Rogers
Peter Rogers pictured in 2018
Monkey dust user Peter Rogers broke his partner’s eye socket when she refused to give him cash to buy drugs. In a separate incident the 32-year-old struck her to her head, smashed her phone, bit her arm and booted her in the back.
On another occasion he grabbed her hair and arm and threw her out of a door, causing her tooth to fall out. And he took someone else’s car and crashed into another vehicle in Biddulph[45].
Rogers was jailed for 44 months at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court[46]. Prosecutor Emmanuel Coniah said Rogers had been in a relationship with his victim from 2019.
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References
- ^ North Staffordshire Justice Centre (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stafford Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Crackley (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Wolstanton (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ in Chesterton (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Bradeley (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Hanley (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Berry Hill (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ North Staffordshire Justice Centre (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Leek (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ the A500 (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Hanley (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Kidsgrove (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Bentilee (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Smallthorne (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Shelton (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Biddulph (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.stokesentinel.co.uk)
- ^ NEWSLETTER: Sign up for email alerts direct to your inbox (data.reachplc.com)