We name and shame latest Bristol criminals put behind bars
The latest criminals put behind bars in Bristol this week include a man jailed for attempted murder, a trio of drug dealers who supplied large amounts of cocaine to Weston-super-Mare and a double rapist. Three people have also been sentenced for their roles in the August 3 disorder in Bristol.
This week's roundup also includes Kyeran Taylor, who sexually assaulted a teenage girl and abducted her to London in his van. Most recently, Joel Binnings was sentenced to 18 years in prison for attempted murder. The 20-year-old stabbed a teenage boy inside McDonald's in The Horsefair in February this year, leaving him with life changing injuries.
Meanwhile, Elly-Jayne Cox, Benjamin Tavener and Kieran Leach were all sentenced for their involvement in the violent scenes which erupted in Bristol city centre[1] during the summer. Nationwide violence broke out after Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, were stabbed to death in Southport.
Avon and Somerset Police said that 30 people have now been sentenced for their roles in the disorder. 52 people have been arrested and 43 have been charged.
Read on below for the latest criminals jailed in and around Bristol
Joel Binnings
Joel Binnings, 20, of Fishponds, Bristol has been jailed for 18-years for attempting to murder a 16-year-old boy (Image: western daily press)
Joel Binnings, found guilty of attempted murder after stabbing a 16-year-old boy at McDonald's in The Horsefair, was jailed on Friday, October 11. The 20-year-old denied the offence but was convicted by jury last month. He has been jailed for 18-years.[2]
In a prepared statement for the court, the young victim's mother described the night of the attack, February 8 as the "worst night of my life".[3]
“I got a call that my son had been stabbed," she said. "Going to the hospital I had no idea of how serious a condition he was in. When I got to the hospital he was in surgery and I was told the severity of his injuries. Words cannot express how I felt when hearing what was happening to him."
Thomas Osbourne
33-year-old Thomas Osbourne, also known as Solomon Osbourne, from St George, in Bristol, has been jailed for nine-and-a-half years for twice raping a woman (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Rapist Thomas Osbourne, also known as Solomon Osbourne, was jailed at Bristol Crown Court on September 27 for twice raping a woman. He has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and sentenced to nine-and-a-half years for his "horrific" crimes that left his female victim fearful of all men.
The 33-year-old from St George denied the offence but was found guilty by a majority verdict. His brave victim, in a statement read out to the court, said she has been left "scared of all men".
"In terms of how this has impacted me and how I live my life, I am struggling with how to put it into words and find this very difficult. I’m not the same person I used to be since.
“This has also caused me to completely isolate myself from my family and friends, because I don’t want to talk or even think about everything that happened. He has completely ruined my trust in anyone and in particular men."
Harvey Thomas
Nineteen-year-old Harvey Thomas was caught speeding along in a motorbike on the M5 in South Gloucestershire[4]. Shocking dash cam footage shows the Emersons Green local speeding on the M5, resulting in him being hit with a suspended prison sentence and a driving ban.
He was convicted of one count of dangerous driving, six counts of exceeding a 40mph speed limit in contravention of a Local Traffic Order. He was also convicted of two counts of exceeding a 50mph speed limit in contravention of a Local Traffic Order.
He received a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to pay £150 costs and a £187 victim surcharge. He has also been disqualified from driving for 18 months and will have to take an extended test after the ban ends. As well as the ban, Thomas will have to undergo rehabilitation work and do 120 hours of unpaid work over the next 12 months.
Benjamin Tavener
Tavener lobbed an object during the mayhem in Castle Park on August 3 (Image: asp issued)
Tavener, 35, from Charfield, South Gloucestershire is just one of the people sentenced this week for his involvement in the violent disorder on August 3, after a clash between far-right groups and counter protesters.
Video footage from Saturday, 3 August, showed Tavener lobbing an object during the mayhem in Castle Park.[5] He was sentenced to 16-months in prison at Bristol Crown Court o nOctober 7 after admitting to violent disorder.
Kieran Leach
Kieran Leach was caught on camera acting belligerently towards police officers and the public during the August 3 disorder (Image: asp issued)
Another August 3 rioter, Kieran Leach pleaded guilty to violent disorder and assault at the disorder. Leach, 21 from Keynsham, was caught on camera acting belligerently towards police officers and the public. A video shows him assaulting a cyclist and being part of the mob throwing punches outside the Mercure Hotel.
He was jailed for 20 months at Bristol Crown Court on October 7.
Zachariah Talbert Young
Zachariah Talbert Young has been jailed after his DNA was found on a prohibited gun ditched in an alleyway (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Zachariah Talbert Young, 26, was sentenced alongside Paul Elijah Hayden after their DNA was found on a loaded gun ditched in an alleyway in Bristol.[6] Talbert Young, of Carlyle Road, Easton[7], was convicted of possessing a prohibited firearm following a trial and sentenced to five-and-a-half years.
Police received multiple calls on October 5, 2021 about a group of people armed with a knife and a gun in Easton. Searching the scene, officers found a bag containing a handgun in the alleyway, near to an electricity substation, at around 11pm. It was loaded with four rounds of ammunition and had been made ready to fire.
Avon and Somerset Police said: "The gun was examined and found to be a 9mm Parabellum self-loading pistol. It is a prohibited weapon both because it has a barrel length of less than 30cm and a total length of less than 60cm and because it is self-loading. This means it would be unlawful to possess in it any circumstances."
Paul Elijah Hayden
Paul Elijah Hayden was jailed after a 9mm Parabellum self-loading pistol, was found with four rounds and had been made ready to fire (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Hayden, 21, of Reade Close, Hanham, jailed alongside Zachariah Talbert Young after both were convicted of possessing a prohibited firearm following a trial at Bristol Crown Court[8]. Hayden was sentenced for five years.
The weapon found, a 9mm Parabellum self-loading pistol, was found with four rounds and had been made ready to fire.
Sentencing, the Recorder, Mr Tom Brown KC, said he took into account Hayden’s age at the time – he was 18 – and lack of previous convictions. He added that both Hayden and Talbert Young will serve half their sentences before being released on licence.
Elly-Jayne Cox
Elly-Jayne Cox has been jailed (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Elly-Jayne Cox, 33, of Bishopsworth spat at and kicked out at police officers and hit a police horse[9] during the violent disorder in Bristol city centre on August 3. She has been jailed for 26-months.
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Herbert said: “The behaviour and actions of Cox on that day were truly disgusting and completely intolerable. She was front and centre of the disgraceful violence and disorder throughout the evening and has rightly been handed a lengthy prison sentence as a result.
The court heard how she used "vile language" throughout the riot. Judge Hart said she “will never understand” why she behaved as she did. She added that Cox showed “extreme violent behaviour” towards police officers and members of the public.
Kyeran Taylor
Kyeran Taylor (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Kyeran Taylor sexually abused and abducted a teenage girl, taking her to London in his lorry[10]. The 33-year-old admitted a string of crimes, including two counts of sexual assault, six counts of sexual activity with a child, one count of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of child abduction, and one count of sexual communication with a child.
He was found guilty of two further counts of sexual activity with a child.
In a separate case, Taylor also admitted a charge of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. It came after he caused a head-on collision on the B3130 at Chew Magna. A woman, aged in her 60s, who was driving another car suffered serious injuries in the crash. Taylor was under the influence of cocaine at the time.
A woman, aged in her 60s, who was driving another car suffered serious injuries in the crash. Taylor was under the influence of cocaine at the time.
He was sentenced for all the offences at Bristol Crown Court on Friday, September 27. In addition to being jailed for ten years, he was given a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) as well as a restraining order.
Kieran Smith
Kieran Smith was jailed for over eight years for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, and conspiracy to transfer criminal property (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Smith, of Weston-super-Mare, was part of a trio of drug dealers moving large amounts of cocaine and cannabis to the West Counter town. Along with Fraser McLeish and Samantha Haskins, 37-year-old Smith, of Ullswater Close, flooded the town with drugs between April and June 2020.
Encrypted messaging network EncroChat was used to organise the collection and distribution of 20kg of cannabis and 7kg of cocaine[11] across Weston-super-Mare. Evidence was also uncovered that the group had made payments totalling more than £350,000. Smith collected and supplied the drugs before handing the money he collected to McLeish, who stored the cash at his home and used it to pay couriers.
He was arrested in January 2022. They were all charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine), with Smith further charged with conspiracy to transfer criminal property. He pleaded guilty to the offences and was sentenced on October 8 to eight years and four months.
Fraser McLeish
Drugs and cash seized in Weston-super-Mare that led to the convictions of drug dealers Fraser McLeish, Samantha Haskins and Kieran Smith (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Messages obtained by police officers showed 37-year-old Fraser McLeish, alongside Kieran Smith and Samantha Haskins arranging the collection and distribution of 7kg of cocaine and 20kg of cannabis between April and June 2020. Evidence also uncovered the group making payments totalling more than £350,000 and discussing the supply of drugs across Weston-super-Mare.
McLeish and Haskins were both arrested in June 2021. All three were charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) and McLeish, of Mendip Rise, was also charged with conspiracy to supply class B drugs (cannabis), and conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
He pleaded guilty to the charges relating to money laundering and conspiracy to supply class B cannabis, but was found not guilty by a jury of conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine) in June. McLeish was sentenced for three years.
Samantha Haskins
Fraser McLeish, Samantha Haskins and Kieran Smith supplied drugs to the people of Weston-super-Mare (Image: Avon and Somerset Police)
Samantha Haskins was sentenced for five years and 10 months for her involvement in supplying Weston-super-Mare with drugs. The 39-year-old, of Worlebury Hill Road was arrested in June 2021 and 5kg of cocaine was recovered from her address in a subsequent search. Evidence was also found of cocaine with a total street value of up to £1.3m having passed through her home.
Alongside the Smith and McLeish, Haskins was charged with conspiracy to supply class A drugs (cocaine). She was further charged with being concerned in the supply of class A drugs (cocaine) and possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine) and pleaded guilty to all offences.
Detective Chief Inspector Ben Lavender said: “Drugs cause immense harm to our communities, particularly the most vulnerable, and we are committed to protecting them.
“McLeish, Smith and Haskins believed they could get away with their offending by using encrypted communications, but following a complex investigation we’ve now been able to bring them to justice. These sentences send a strong message: we will not tolerate the supply of illegal drugs in Avon and Somerset.”
References
- ^ Bristol city centre (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ He has been jailed for 18-years. (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ as the "worst night of my life". (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ South Gloucestershire (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Tavener lobbing an object during the mayhem in Castle Park. (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ a loaded gun ditched in an alleyway in Bristol. (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Easton (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ Bristol Crown Court (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ spat at and kicked out at police officers and hit a police horse (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ sexually abused and abducted a teenage girl, taking her to London in his lorry (www.bristolpost.co.uk)
- ^ 20kg of cannabis and 7kg of cocaine (www.bristolpost.co.uk)