All the East Lancashire criminals jailed last week

The longest stint saw rapist Lewis Watson given a 19-year sentence made up of 11 years in prison and a further eight years on extended licence. Here, we bring you a round-up of all the criminals banged up in the region last week.

All the East Lancashire criminals jailed last week

Lewis Watson

Lewis Watson (Image: Lancashire Police) Lewis Watson, 30, was jailed at Burnley Crown Court on Monday, December 9 after he raped a teenager in Burnley town centre. Watson, of Hazel Grove, Ribbleton, Preston, left his 17-year-old victim "scarred for life" following the assault on January 29.

Watson told her to walk with him as it was raining and they found shelter in the overhang of a shop. Here, he sexually assaulted her, before guiding her to a second location and raping her. The victim tried to stop him but was unable to.

He was given a 19-year sentence. Full story: Victim scarred after Preston man raped her in Burnley [1]

Jamie Duxbury

Jamie Duxbury (Image: Lancashire Police) Jamie Duxbury, 33, was jailed at Preston Crown Court on Monday, December 9 after he caused a biker's leg to be amputated following a crash on the M65. Duxbury, of Ivy Lane, Blackburn, was more than twice the legal alcohol limit when his Ford Kuga hit the side of a Harley Davidson motorcycle being ridden by Steven Howarth close to Junction 5 of the motorway on September 8 last year.

After being taken to Salford Royal Infirmary and then onto Manchester Royal Infirmary, Mr Howarth's leg could not be saved and was amputated the following day. A lorry driver who witnessed the incident, Paul Gee, stopped his vehicle in the carriageway just a short distance from where Mr Howarth lay injured in the middle lane. Footage from his dashcam showed Duxbury overtaking the lorry and swerving across the carriageway.

Duxbury was jailed for 27 months and banned from driving for two years. Full story: Mugshot of dangerous driver from Blackburn released [2]

Leon Pate

Leon Pate (Image: Lancashire County Council) Leon Pate, 35, was jailed at Burnley Crown Court on Monday, December 9 after building work carried out by him was left either unfinished or in poor quality relating to six different victims. Pate, of Church Street, Padiham, pleaded guilty to offences of unfair commercial practices under Consumer Protection Regulations concerning his landscaping and building business.

On each occasion, the work carried out for the six victims was of poor quality, and unfinished. There was a pattern of starting jobs, leaving homes in a mess, and then refusing to come back to continue with the projects. Most of his work had to be re-done at a later date by other tradesmen.

Issues included consumers being left with incomplete roofing work and leaks, taking payments for building materials that never arrived, leaving piles of rubbish and earth for consumers to clear themselves, and in some cases, applying pressure to make further payments before they were due, by stating that work would stop. Pate was jailed for 11 months. Full story: Rogue builder from Burnley jailed after ripping off victims [3]

Luke Gorton

Luke Gorton (Image: Lancashire Police) Luke Gorton was jailed at Burnley Crown Court on Wednesday, December 11 after he attempted to break into a house where a mother and her one-year-old child were sleeping.

Gorton, 40, attempted to enter the house in Cog Lane, Burnley, on November 5 while the owner of the house was out at work. Footage of Gorton and another man coming up to the house was captured on a Ring doorbell, with Gorton carrying what was described to the court as a baseball bat. The pair tried the door handle but left the property when they found it to be locked.

Gorton, of Venice Avenue, Burnley, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted burglary and was jailed for 18 months. Full story: Burnley man jailed over attempted burglary at house [4]

Susan Harmon

Susan Harmon (Image: Lancashire Police) Susan Harmon was jailed at Burnley Crown Court on Wednesday, December 11 after defrauding the school she worked at out of more than GBP80,000. Harmon, 55, was the business manager at Great Harwood Primary School between 2010 and 2023, and in that time stole GBP82,700, adjusted to almost GBP110,000 for inflation.

Harmon's actions meant the school was unable to afford safety and security equipment like carbon monoxide alarms and CCTV cameras, and also affected their ability to adequately pay staff. One staff member left their role so the school could afford to pay their colleagues. Harmon, of Chester Avenue, Chorley, was jailed for three years.

Full stories: Great Harwood school business manager jailed over GBP80k fraud [5] Great Harwood school wants to move on after ex-bursar jailed [6]

Jamie Gorton

Jamie Gorton (Image: Lancashire Police) Jamie Gorton was jailed at Burnley Crown Court on Thursday, December 12, after he sexually assaulted a teenager. Gorton, formerly of Burnley but now living in Osborne Road, Blackpool, appeared in court over video link and hid his face for the entirety of the hearing, either with his hands or with his sweatshirt.

He left the hearing room during Judge Sara Dodd's sentencing remarks and did not return. A victim impact statement read to the court by prosecuting barrister Aubrey Samson said the victim, who was 14 at the time of the offending, had self-harmed since the incident and has suffered from anxiety and flashbacks. Judge Dodd considered Gorton to be a dangerous offender and sentenced him to an eight-year prison term with a further five years on extended licence, giving a total sentence of 13 years.

Full story: Sex offender hid face on prison video link and left hearing while being sentenced [7]

Dayle Henley

Preston Crown Court Sessions House (Image: Archive) Dayle Henley, 32, was jailed at Preston Crown Court Sessions House on Friday, December 13 after he downloaded and distributed sexual images of children. Henley, of Wasdale Avenue, Blackburn, had images in all three categories of seriousness stored on devices including iPhones and an iPad. Officers found he had been distributing them via email.

He was jailed for a period of two years and will be subject to sex offender notification requirements and a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years. Full story: Blackburn man jailed over 'abhorrent' images of children [8]

Lee Davison

Lee Davison (Image: Lancashire Police) Lee Davison, 34, was jailed at Preston Crown Court Sessions House on Friday, December 13, after he beat and bit his partner in a brutal attack. Davison, of Wales Terrace, Newchurch, sent threatening messages to his partner saying he'd "haunt" her and messaged her former partner saying he'd "chop his f*****g head off."

Davison left his victim with bite marks all over her body and was only stopped from continuing his vile attack when a brave passing dog walker approached them. When he was asked why the victim might be afraid of him, he said: "Because I'm f*****g nasty and I lose my temper." In a statement summarised by prosecuting barrister Stephen Parker, the victim said she "knew" she would have died if the dog walker had not come along.

Davison was jailed for three years and two months.

References

^ Victim scarred after Preston man raped her in Burnley (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Mugshot of dangerous driver from Blackburn released (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Rogue builder from Burnley jailed after ripping off victims (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Burnley man jailed over attempted burglary at house (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Great Harwood school business manager jailed over GBP80k fraud (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Great Harwood school wants to move on after ex-bursar jailed (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Sex offender hid face on prison video link and left hearing while being sentenced (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Blackburn man jailed over 'abhorrent' images of children (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)
^ Newchurch man bit and beat partner in 'brutal attack' (www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk)