10 of the biggest Dorset court cases in 2025
Man who tried to kill nine-year-old girl jailed for 30 years[1] 
He was found guilty of trying to kill the child after stabbing her three times on August 20, 2024. Police officers later found his DNA and the victim's blood on a knife, before uncovering a clump of the girl's hair in his kitchen bin. On April 23 this year, Wilkes was jailed for 30 years for attempted murder and possession of a bladed article,
'There's no justice': Soldier who killed 18-year-old in crash walks free from court[2] 
Pickett, who was a serving soldier at the time, was speeding on Hurn Lane in Ringwood on September 16, 2023, with three passengers in the car. Police investigations found that Pickett was speeding around a bend, subject to a 30mph limit, at between 43mph and 54mph. After crashing the vehicle one of the passengers, Laionie Kennard, remain trapped and sadly died at the scene.
On January 29 this year, Pickett was handed a 10-month sentence suspended for two years for causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving. He was also disqualified from driving for two years, with an extended re-test, and must complete 250 hours of unpaid work. Woman guilty of murder after running over man with Range Rover[3]
Treadwell orchestrated Jonjay Harrison, 25 and of Bournemouth, to strike an electric motorbike carrying two men. Harrison was also found guilty of attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm. Police said both incidents were part of a long-running feud between two groups in Bournemouth.
Treadwell and Harrison are due to be sentenced in January 2026. Double cat-killer sobbed as he was spared jail after attacking girlfriend's pets [4] 
James Higginson, 20 and of Weymouth, killed two of his ex-girlfriend's cats and brutally attacked a third after he took an 'irrational dislike' to them. Between March and September 2023 Higginson abused the three cats named Tiggy, Sushi and Chase. The third kitten, Chase, was seized before it could be fatally injured.
Higginson pleaded guilty to three counts of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal. In June he was given a 15-month suspended prison sentence and banned from owning animals for 20 years. Mother 'racing and speeding' killed son after crashing into lorry[5]
The van reached speeds of up to 91mph. After some failed attempts to overtake on the single carriageway, Roe was seen to 'fly past' on a blind bend when she collided with an incoming HGV. For causing death by dangerous driving, Barbara Roe was jailed for five years and disqualified from driving for seven and a half years, with a mandatory re-test.
Wanted man chased victim through town before stabbing him in 'plain daylight'[6] 
The defendant and a group of friends chased the victim before stabbing him on Lorne Park Road. After fleeing the attack, Al-Ahemd then went onto stab a shop worker in Cardiff in December 2023. He was left with very serious injuries.
For two counts of section 18, namely wounding with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray, possession of a bladed article and possession with intent to supply class A drugs, Al-Ahmed was jailed for nine years with an extended five years on licence. Man drove into mother-in-law and sped with her on bonnet of car[7] 
Jamie Luffman, 21 and of Ashley Heath, drove into his then girlfriend's mother and sped off while she hung to the bonnet. His partner's father was also temporarily hanging on the side of the car during the incident in Poole in May 2023. It was said the collision happened after an argument with the family.
In June Luffman was jailed for two years and six months for causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was also disqualified from driving for three years and three months. Man jailed after 'selfishly and brutally' raping 16-year-old on clifftop[8]
It was said the pair began kissing consensually but the defendant advanced to sex, despite the victim repeatedly saying no. In September Nutt was jailed for five years for rape. 'He's destroyed my life for nothing': Unprovoked attack left man with brain injury[9]
However, Bateman suddenly pushed the man into the road and punched him, knocking him to the floor. The man was left with a complex fracture with extensive injury to his brain, causing him to forget his own sons' names and prompting a change of personality. In April, Bateman was jailed for three years for assault occasioning grievous bodily harm.
Man who tried to grope two teenage girls on Bournemouth beach jailed[10] 
One of the girl's told Singh she was 15 before he tried to grope, and was only stopped when her sister stepped in.
A few minutes later he then approached two other teen girls, and pretended to help one of them from a fallen e-scooter while trying to touch her breast.
In May Singh was jailed for one year for two charges of attempted sexual assault.
References
- ^ Man who tried to kill nine-year-old girl jailed for 30 years (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ 'There's no justice': Soldier who killed 18-year-old in crash walks free from court (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ Woman guilty of murder after running over man with Range Rover (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ Double cat-killer sobbed as he was spared jail after attacking girlfriend's pets (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ Mother 'racing and speeding' killed son after crashing into lorry (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ Wanted man chased victim through town before stabbing him in 'plain daylight' (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ Man drove into mother-in-law and sped with her on bonnet of car (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ Man jailed after 'selfishly and brutally' raping 16-year-old on clifftop (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ 'He's destroyed my life for nothing': Unprovoked attack left man with brain injury (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)
- ^ Man who tried to grope two teenage girls on Bournemouth beach jailed (www.bournemouthecho.co.uk)