Locked Up: The criminals in Swindon jailed in August

Here are some of the cases heard last month

Prolific shoplifter Tracy Manser, 35, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty [1] to six counts of shoplifting at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Friday, August 1. (Image: Wiltshire Police) Shortly after being released from prison for shoplifting offences earlier this year, Manser returned to her old ways, targeting Co-op and B&M in Swindon.

On June 15, Manser stole GBP14.50 of laundry products from the Groundwell Road Co-op store, returning to make off with another haul worth GBP27.10 two days later. Then on July 19, Manser went into B&M to make off with cleaning items to the value of GBP31.93, returning two days later to steal GBP12.98 of products. Manser's most expensive haul took place on July 25 when she stole GBP200 worth of candles from Boots Chemist in Swindon town centre, with her shoplifting spree concluding on July 28 with GBP30 of miscellaneous items from Poundland.

She was jailed for 14 weeks, due to her record of previous offending. Repeat offender Mark Dennis, 34, of Culpepper Close, Park South, appeared at Swindon Crown Court for sentencing [2] on Friday, August 22 after breaching a non-molestation order on two occasions.

Prosecutor Mr Threlfall explained that the non-molestation order was made at Swindon Magistrates Court on June 25 and served on July 3, following numerous complaints of domestic abuse and harassment made by his former partner. (Image: Wiltshire Police) But on July 9, the pair were in The Merlin pub when she asked bar staff to phone police, stating Dennis had taken her phone and to tell them she was with Mark Dennis.

Then on July 18, she went to his address hoping to see him but police were also looking for him after issuing an appeal for information the following day and he was hidden from them inside the property. Mr Threlfall added that Dennis has 33 convictions for 46 offences on his record, eight of which are for offences against the person. On November 7, 2024, he was handed a 16 week prison sentence suspended for 18 months for a battery offence, along with 175 hours of unpaid work, 42 rehabilitation activity days, 41 days on an accredited programme and 120 days of alcohol abstinence monitoring.

He must serve the 16 weeks of his previous order and an additional eight weeks for these offences, totalling 24 weeks behind bars. Lorry driver jailed after crash killed milkman Barry Archer, 44, faced trial in May after a head-on collision between the lorry driver and milkman Tom Glancy on the A420 led to Mr Glancy's death.

It's taken five years for Archer to be sentenced [3], after the crash which took place in July 2020. Milkman Tom Glancy, who was 64 when he died, has been described as a 'pillar of strength' in the community. On Thursday, August 7, Archer was jailed for six years for causing death by dangerous driving.

Paedophile abused girl for over three years Adam Cockram, 37, of Cameley Green, Twerton, Bath, was found guilty [4] by jury of eight counts of sexual activity with a child, taking an indecent photograph of a child and possession of a prohibited image of a child on July 10 at Swindon Crown Court, after denying all of the charges. Cockram's offending took place in Calne over a three year period between July 27, 2019 and December 30, 2022 beginning when the child was aged 13 up until she was 17.

(Image: Wiltshire Police) Judge Townsend jailed Cockram for 15 years on Thursday, August 14. He will be on the sex offender's register indefinitely and a sexual harm prevention order will be in place for 20 years. Class A drug dealer jailed

Natalie Hughes, 34, of Marlowe Avenue, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, crack cocaine and heroin and possession of criminal property at an earlier hearing at Swindon Crown Court on Friday, July 18. The court heard that between March 3 and June 17, Hughes was concerned in the supply of cannabis. Meanwhile, she was concerned in the supply of the Class A drugs between May 13 and June 16 in Swindon.

(Image: Wiltshire Police) Following her arrest, Hughes was found to have larger quantities of Class A wraps concealed in her bra and further Class A drugs, scales, packaging and cash were located at her address. The 34-year-old was also found to be in possession of criminal property, namely GBP1,180 in cash and six pairs of high value trainers, on June 16. Hughes was jailed for a total custodial period of 34 months on Tuesday, August 26 and the trainers, cash and drugs seized from her will be destroyed.

She must also pay a surcharge of GBP228.

References

^ pleaded guilty (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk)
^ for sentencing (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk)
^ sentenced (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk)
^ found guilty (www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk)