Killers, rioters and perverts – the defendants sentenced this week
This week has seen two killers who took the lives of their vulnerable victims jailed.
Frank Wrona stabbed his house mate to death after being released from prison from a sentence imposed for attacking his brother. Mali Wright, a boxer turned drug dealer, was also jailed after he killed a man with two heavy blows to his ribcage.
Also in court were rioters who used the tragic murders of three Southport schoolgirls as an excuse for violence on the streets as well as drug dealers, perverts and shoplifters.
Each week dozens of defendants appear in the dock at Lancashire’s courts. LancsLive reporters are on hand to cover the most serious cases. Here we take a look at some of the people sentenced this week.
Killer who stabbed vulnerable flat mate to death was housed with victim after release from prison
A killer who murdered his house mate in a drug fuelled frenzy had been placed in the house following his release from prison.
Frank Wrona, 44, had only been free from custody for three weeks when he killed Richard Chamberlain on Easter Sunday (March 31, 2024).
Richard, 34, was a vulnerable man who lived with the challenges of autism. His family described him as a loving and caring man who enjoyed art and nature, and dreamed of becoming a fashion designer.
Wrona, 44, was a violent thug who had just been released from a 31 month sentence for attacking his brother with a broken mirror. Following his release, on March 6, he spent a night on the streets before being housed at the property[1] in New Market Street, Colne[2], where Richard and another man lived.
FULL STORY: Killer who stabbed vulnerable flat mate to death was housed with victim after release from prison[3]
He sighed and scoffed throughout the court hearing, then the Judge threw the book at him
A racist thug who hurled bricks at police while joining in with racist chants of “we want our country back” and “Allah, Allah, who the f*** is Allah” has been jailed.
Jordan Gibson was part of a mob of 1,000 that descended on Southport[4] on July 30 – a day after the tragic deaths of children Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe, and Alice Da Silva Aguiar. The dad-of-two had journeyed to the town to pay his respects at a vigil for the three young victims.
FULL STORY: He sighed and scoffed throughout the court hearing, then the Judge threw the book at him[5]
Boxer Mali Wright jailed for killing Daniel Allsop in ‘brutal’ Blackpool attack
Frank Wrona
A boxer who killed a man after punching him so hard that he broke several of his ribs and ruptured his spleen has been jailed for more than 14 years.
Daniel Allsop, 38, was brutally attacked by Mali Wright, 30, in Blackpool[6] at around 4.30pm on October 2 last year. The victim had walked to Bethesda Road with the intention of buying drugs.
However, when he arrived Wright attacked him, breaking his ribs and rupturing his spleen before chasing him away. A short time later Mr Allsop collapsed in the doorway of a nearby McDonalds restaurant and was taken to hospital.
FULL STORY: Boxer Mali Wright jailed for killing Daniel Allsop in ‘brutal’ Blackpool attack[7]
‘Top boy’ of multi-million Lancashire OCG with ‘Shark’ and ‘Rambo’ lines caught at Manchester Airport after a year on the run
The ‘top boy’ of a multi-million pound drug supply ring has finally been jailed after nearly a year on the run.
Rafhan Sarwar was one of the leaders of an Pendle[8] and Burnley[9] based organised criminal group (OCG) operating throughout the North-West, Yorkshire[10] and the Midlands. With the long arm of the law closing in, the 34-year-old went on the run for nearly 12 months before being detained at Manchester Airport[11].
During that time, his co-conspirators were given prison sentences totalling over 60 years[12]. Sarwar, formerly of Charles Street, Nelson[13], but now of no fixed address, will now be joining them after he was jailed for a total of nine and a half years by Judge Simon Medland KC at Preston[14] Crown Court[15] on Tuesday (September 10).
FULL STORY: ‘Top boy’ of multi-million Lancashire OCG with ‘Shark’ and ‘Rambo’ lines caught at Manchester Airport after a year on the run[16]
‘These are dangerous offences’: Preston perv had duck porn and searched for ‘pre-pubescent boys’
A dad of two who hurled missiles at police and joined in racist chants in Southport has become the latest to appear in the docks at Liverpool Crown Court. Jordan Gibson, from Whelley, Wigan, was part of a 1,000-strong mob which descended on the town on Tuesday, July 30, one day after the fatal stabbings of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar. Gibson, 33, had travelled to the town to lay flowers at a vigil in memory of the three girls. But as grieving families and members of the community left the area, he joined a huge gang outside a mosque on nearby St Luke’s Road, where violence quickly broke out as police were called to the scene.
A pervert was caught with a haul of sickening sex images, which included a person having sex with a duck.
Mark Crook, 65, also had indecent images depicting pre-pubescent boys when police searched his devices in August 2023. Preston[17] Crown Court[18] heard Crook, of Porter Street, Preston, was on the sex offenders register after being caught with child abuse images in 2011.
However from 2015 he returned to his old ways and began accessing the illegal material online. On August 25, officers visited Crook’s home and seized devices which included two mobile phones, a laptop, a tablet, a Kindle and six USB sticks. When analysed, the devices were found to contain around 500 indecent images of children, ranging from category A to C, as well as the extreme animal porn.
FULL STORY: ‘These are dangerous offences’: Preston perv had duck porn and searched for ‘pre-pubescent boys’[19]
Nurse left 10-week-old son to die at home while she went to work
An NHS[20] nurse who left her 10-week-old baby to die while she went to work at hospital has been jailed for three years after being caught trying to flee to Nigeria.
Single mother Ruth Auta, 28, abandoned Joshua Akerele in her nurse’s accommodation for eight hours so she could work her shift at Royal Bolton Hospital. When she returned, she found Joshua lifeless and dialled 999, telling operators her son was not breathing.
Despite efforts to resuscitate Joshua, he was tragically pronounced dead at the scene. When the police arrived, Auta initially lied, claiming that she had picked up Joshua from his childminder after her shift.
FULL STORY: Nurse left 10-week-old son to die at home while she went to work[21]
‘Gentle giant’ burst into home, licked man’s face and slapped his mum’s bum
Mali Wright -Credit:Lancs Police
A self-proclaimed “gentle giant” high on cocaine burst into an estranged friend’s home, licked his face and slapped his mum on the bum.
James Costello, 39, told his victim that he “loved him” after climbing on top of him on a sofa before kicking a dog during the bizarre episode. Appearing at court[22] yesterday (September 11), he thanked a judge for “giving him the biggest gift” in the sentence she imposed upon him, and begged: “Give me more if you can.”
Costello “used to be friends with” his victim before the two “drifted apart.” However, he bumped into the man’s mother in a shop in the in March this year.
FULL STORY: ‘Gentle giant’ burst into home, licked man’s face and slapped his mum’s bum[23]
Cruel dog owner beat and shouted at pets as they ‘screamed in pain’
A cruel dog owner who abused and intimidated his pets repeatedly over five months as they screamed in pain has avoided jail.
Over 30 harrowing video recordings of the Doberman and Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross crying out in fear and distress after the animals were allegedly beaten, shouted and sworn at were passed to the RSPCA. On at least 20 of the clips, they could be heard making screaming or screeching noises after banging, thudding or slap-like sounds – accompanied by a male voice – had come from the house.
Robert Jones, from Southport[24], was handed a 22-week suspended prison sentence and a ten-year ban on keeping dogs after he was prosecuted by the RSPCA for intimidating and physically abusing them. The court[25] heard how the recordings, which were taken between January and July last year, were passed to the animal welfare charity by someone who was concerned about the dogs’ welfare, and an investigation was then started by the RSPCA.
FULL STORY: Cruel dog owner beat and shouted at pets as they ‘screamed in pain’[26]
Mum of riot boy, 12, who flew to Ibiza while son was in court hit with £1,200 fine
The mother of one of Britain’s youngest criminals involved in this summer’s riots who went to Ibiza when her son was due in court has been ordered to pay compensation amounting to the cost of her holiday by a judge.
The 30-year-old single mother, who appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court, alongside her son, 12, told District Judge Joanne Hirst her holiday to the Spanish island had cost £1,000. After an hour-long hearing, the judge ordered the mother to take part in a six-month parenting course and to pay compensation of £1,200, telling her, “You know it’s approximately the same cost as your holiday to Ibiza.”
She told the youngster he had been involved in “the worst type of feral behaviour in our country” and if an adult, he would be going to jail for up to five years, but she was giving him a “chance” and instead ordered him to complete a 12-month referral order. The boy, who has ADHD, was described as a “lovely affection little boy,” by his mother, but who had at times a “chaotic” home life.
FULL STORY: Mum of riot boy, 12, who flew to Ibiza while son was in court hit with £1,200 fine[27]
Nursery worker cries and hangs head in shame as she’s shown what happened when ‘adrenaline got the better of her’
Rafhan Sarwar
A nursery worker who hurled racial abuse and struck out at a police officer’s riot shield during violent scenes has been remanded into custody and warned to face jail.
Ellie Clarke cried and hung her head in shame in court[28] as she was shown what happened when “the adrenaline got the better of her”. The 21-year-old was seen “at the front of the mob” in Southport[29] on July 30 – the day after the fatal stabbings of three young girls.
A court yesterday (September) heard how Clarke pointed towards a cordon which had been formed by officers and shouted “if it was your f***ing daughter who was stabbed dead by a f***ing p**i” and “pushed aggressively” at one of their riots shields. Crowds had gathered in the area of St Luke’s Road in the town and hurled missiles towards police at the Southport Islamic Society Mosque with more than 50 officers suffering injuries.
FULL STORY: Nursery worker cries and hangs head in shame as she’s shown what happened when ‘adrenaline got the better of her’[30]
Prolific shoplifter jailed as police hail ‘good news’ for businesses
A prolific shoplifter has been jailed ‘for a number of months’ after terrorising local businesses.
Police said Amy Barnes ‘continuously’ committed offences of shoplifting in the Nelson[31] area. She was charged with a number of offences of theft from shops and appeared before magistrates on Friday (September 6).
LancsLive previously reported in 2022[32] how Barnes was jailed for 14 weeks for her significant amount of shoplifting[33]. She was also made the subject of a criminal behaviour order banning her from local stores following her release from prison.
FULL STORY: Prolific shoplifter jailed as police hail ‘good news’ for businesses[34]
He covered his face with an England flag and threw a wheelie bin and 18 bottles at police, but ‘struggles to understand why’
A violent thug who used an England flag to cover his face and threw a wheelie bin at police during the Southport[35] riots has been jailed.
Paul Harrison, 30, was captured on shocking footage launching the receptacle at a group of police officers during the disorder on July 30. He can later be seen wrapping a St George’s Cross flag around his face before picking up glass bottles from a recycling bin to lob at a retreating police van.
He was part of a mob that had descended on the seaside town after three young girls were knifed to death at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club event a day earlier. The racially-motivated violence was spurred on by false online rumours that the killer was a Muslim immigrant who travelled to the UK illegally and yobs targeted a mosque in the town before attacking police.
FULL STORY: He covered his face with an England flag and threw a wheelie bin and 18 bottles at police, but ‘struggles to understand why’[36]
Audi driver guilty of not stopping after crash that left beloved mum-of-two dead
A man has pleaded guilty to not stopping after a crash that left a beloved mum-of-two dead.
Rashid Javed was travelling in an Audi A8 when he drove through a red light. The 37-year-old then failed to stop after his car was involved in a collision with Michelle Barlow, described as a “bubbly chatty person”, from Tottington.
The incident happened near the Tesco[37] superstore on Chester road in Stretford shortly after 10.10pm on July 22 last year. At the time, police said a woman in her 40s was struck by a black Audi A8 which was travelling city bound whilst she crossed Chester Road, before falling into the path of a Mercedes on the Stretford bound carriageway.
Despite the best efforts of emergency services the woman, later confirmed to be Michelle, 41, sustained fatal injuries, the M.E.N[38] reports. Following the incident, police said a 36-year-old man who was driving the Audi had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by driving without due care and attention.
FULL STORY: Audi driver guilty of not stopping after crash that left beloved mum-of-two dead[39]
Subscribe to our daily newsletter LANCS LIVE NEWS and get all the biggest stories from across Lancashire direct to your inbox[40]
References
- ^ property (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Colne (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Killer who stabbed vulnerable flat mate to death was housed with victim after release from prison (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Southport (www.lancs.live)
- ^ He sighed and scoffed throughout the court hearing, then the Judge threw the book at him (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Blackpool (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Boxer Mali Wright jailed for killing Daniel Allsop in ‘brutal’ Blackpool attack (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Pendle (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Burnley (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Yorkshire (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Manchester Airport (www.lancs.live)
- ^ his co-conspirators were given prison sentences totalling over 60 years (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Nelson (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Court (www.lancs.live)
- ^ ‘Top boy’ of multi-million Lancashire OCG with ‘Shark’ and ‘Rambo’ lines caught at Manchester Airport after a year on the run (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Court (www.lancs.live)
- ^ ‘These are dangerous offences’: Preston perv had duck porn and searched for ‘pre-pubescent boys’ (www.lancs.live)
- ^ NHS (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Nurse left 10-week-old son to die at home while she went to work (www.lancs.live)
- ^ court (www.lancs.live)
- ^ FULL STORY: ‘Gentle giant’ burst into home, licked man’s face and slapped his mum’s bum (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Southport (www.lancs.live)
- ^ court (www.lancs.live)
- ^ FULL STORY: Cruel dog owner beat and shouted at pets as they ‘screamed in pain’ (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Mum of riot boy, 12, who flew to Ibiza while son was in court hit with £1,200 fine (www.lancs.live)
- ^ court (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Southport (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Nursery worker cries and hangs head in shame as she’s shown what happened when ‘adrenaline got the better of her’ (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Nelson (www.lancs.live)
- ^ LancsLive previously reported in 2022 (www.lancs.live)
- ^ shoplifting (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Prolific shoplifter jailed as police hail ‘good news’ for businesses (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Southport (www.lancs.live)
- ^ He covered his face with an England flag and threw a wheelie bin and 18 bottles at police, but ‘struggles to understand why’ (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Tesco (www.lancs.live)
- ^ M.E.N (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
- ^ Audi driver guilty of not stopping after crash that left beloved mum-of-two dead (www.lancs.live)
- ^ Subscribe to our daily newsletter LANCS LIVE NEWS and get all the biggest stories from across Lancashire direct to your inbox (www.lancs.live)