The bad dads who put their crimes before their families

From appalling violence to selling drugs, these men found themselves before the courts for their crimes

15:12, 25 Jan 2026

Bad dads in the dock (Image: )

From family drug dealing businesses to chilling lies and vicious threats, the courts have seen their share of cases involving dads who put their families at risk.

This week Aaron Newsome, 24, was handed a suspended sentence after lying to doctors when his French bulldog bit off part of his newborn baby's toes.

Other cases involve men such as Ryan Wellings, who bullied and abused his child's mother before she took her own life in 2022.

Here we round up some of the most shocking cases of bad dads to have appeared before the courts.

Out-of-work dad started his own drugs line to make ends meet - but got caught after just 3 weeks

Richard Roughley(Image: Facebook)

A dad started up his own drug dealing business to pay the bills after a motorbike accident left him unable to work.

In December 2023, Richard Roughley, 33, started selling cocaine from the family home he shared with his partner and two children. But on January 11, 2024, police executed a warrant at the house in Lea Crescent, Ormskirk[1], and found a glass jar containing two wraps of the class A drug.

They also found a tick list of people who owed him money and three mobile phones. One of the phones contained messages which revealed Roughley had been dealing cocaine for around three weeks, Preston[2] Crown Court[3] heard.

FULL STORY: Out-of-work dad started his own drugs line to make ends meet - but got caught after just 3 weeks[4]

Father and son admit illegally supplying ketamine in East Lancs

Mason Brown(Image: )

A father and son duo supplyied ketamine in East Lancashire[5].

Officers attended a property[6] on Tennyson Avenue, Padiham[7], on April 29 last year as part of Operation Shore - the force's crackdown on ketamine misuse in Burnley[8].

They arrested Anthony Brown, 44. His son Mason Brown, 22, was arrested later the same day. When their phones were seized, evidence from Mason's phone showed he was involved in the illicit supply of ketamine, cocaine, ecstasy, 2-CB and cannabis.

Anthony's phone showed messages relating to the illegal supply of ketamine.

FULL STORY: Father and son admit illegally supplying ketamine in East Lancs[9]

Boy died 'in terror' on M6 as his father crashed van while high on cocaine

Daniel Burba(Image: )

A cocaine-fuelled motorist who killed his teenage son after he ignored medical advice to stop driving has been jailed for 10 years.

Daniel Burba, 31, had an epileptic fit at the wheel of his wife's Peugeot van which swerved off the M6[10] near Lancaster[11] and hit a tree on April 20. His front-seat passenger, Ryan Morgan, 14, sustained head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision on the southbound carriageway between junctions 34 and 33.

The youngster died "in terror" as he tried to gain control of the vehicle moments before the crash, Preston[12] Crown Court[13] heard. Burba was taken to hospital with "relatively minor" injuries to his ribs and lacerations.

While he was being treated, a paramedic discovered a small bag of cocaine in Burba's wallet, the court was told.

Blood tests revealed that the defendant was four times above the legal drug-drive limit.

It emerged that Burba, from Morecambe[14], had been told in October 2014 by his doctor to stop taking cocaine after he suffered a seizure which lasted up to four minutes. The provisional licence holder was also advised not to drive.

FULL STORY: Boy died 'in terror' on M6 as his father crashed van while high on cocaine[15]

Every word judge said as he jailed Ryan Wellings for sick abuse of Kiena Dawes

Ryan Wellings(Image: Lancs Police)

Ryan Wellings has been jailed for six years after being found guilty of coercive and controlling behaviour and ABH of his partner, Kiena Dawes.

Wellings, 30, was acquitted of manslaughter by the jury at Preston[16] Crown Court. Handing down the sentence, The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham[17], said Wellings was 'a clear danger to any future partner'.

Wellings showed no emotion throughout the sentence hearing or when he was led away to the cells.

FULL STORY: Every word judge said as he jailed Ryan Wellings for sick abuse of Kiena Dawes[18]

Dad drove at 'traumatised' partner on garage forecourt and threatened her with acid

Gulhassan Khan(Image: Lancs Police)

A violent boyfriend 'chased' his partner around a garage forecourt in his car as she tried to run away in terror.

Gulhassan Khan, 36, also punched the woman in the face and threatened to throw battery acid over her during the ordeal.

The dad-of-five has now been jailed after Preston[19] Crown Court[20] saw shocking footage of the incident, which happened in the early hours of March 5, 2025.

Eye witnesses described the woman 'screaming and looking traumatised' as she tried to escape.

FULL STORY: Dad drove at 'traumatised' partner on garage forecourt and threatened her with acid[21]

Drunk dad downed two litres of vodka then attacked partner and the family bulldog

Webster Harper(Image: Facebook)

A booze fuelled dad headbutted his partner and kicked her French Bulldog as it tried to protect her. Webster Harper, 33, became jealous, grilling the woman on the phone for five hours as she drove home from London on December 16, 2024.

When she arrived home in Preston[22] at around 5.45am she sat in her car but Harper continued to question her, prosecutor Holly Nelson[23] told Preston Crown Court[24]. Inside the house, Harper was swigging from a bottle of vodka.

He accused her of cheating and pushed her onto the floor, snatching her phone from her to examine.

The woman picked up an old phone and tried to call 999 but the handset did not have a SIM card in it, the court heard.

FULL STORY: Drunk dad downed two litres of vodka then attacked partner and the family bulldog[25]

Dad's sick joke to girlfriend after bulldog 'bit off' newborn son's toes

Aaron Newsome(Image: )

A dad sent a sickening joke to his girlfriend about their newborn son after a vicious French bulldog "bit off" his toes.

Aaron Newsome, 24, and Caitlin Powell, 20, initially concocted a story claiming their 26-day-old baby had been attacked by a stranger's dog at a bus stop when they arrived at Ormskirk[26] Hospital. However, medical staff became suspicious of their account and alerted the police.

The couple's fabricated tale fell apart during police questioning. Newsome, from Evington in Skelmersdale[27], "became angry and irate on the suggestion [his] phone would be examined", leading investigators to discover evidence of their deceit.

Text messages showed Newsome instructing Powell: "Stick to the story, you walked over the bridge by Lidl and it was the bus stop by the church."

FULL STORY: Dad's sick joke to girlfriend after bulldog 'bit off' newborn son's toes[28]

'A gross abuse of trust': Shameless Blackpool dad shows no emotion as he's jailed for brutal murder of 'helpless son'

Daniel Hardcastle(Image: Lancs Police)

A tattoo artist who murdered his two-year-old son has been jailed for life.

Daniel Hardcastle, 31, must serve a minimum of 22 year before he is eligible to apply for parole.

Hardcastle was convicted of murder after a jury at Preston[29] Crown Court[30] heard harrowing details of catastrophic injuries he inflicted on his son on the morning of August 19, 2023.

Emergency services were called to the flat in Central Drive, to find Damion covered in bruises and in a state of cardiac and respiratory arrest.

On August 19, 2023, Hardcastle called 999 reporting his son had fallen on a coffee table while playing.

Police and paramedics rushed to the flat bit were instantly sceptical about the account Hardcastle gave. Attempts had been made to clean blood from the floor and bloodstained clothes and bedding had been placed in bin bags and the washing machine.

FULL STORY:'A gross abuse of trust': Shameless Blackpool dad shows no emotion as he's jailed for brutal murder of 'helpless son'[31]

Join our LancsLive WhatsApp group

LancsLive now has its very own WhatsApp community to deliver the latest news straight to your phone.

Breaking news, opinion and top stories are being sent directly to our community and we want you to be part of it. Get the latest news as it breaks from across Lancashire[32].

Users who want to join must have WhatsApp downloaded to their phone.

All you have to do to join is click on this link[33], select 'Join Community' and you're in. No one will be able to see your personal information in the community and you will only receive messages from the LancsLive news team. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest stories from across the county.

If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and clicking 'Exit Group', simple as that.

Join our new Whatsapp community! Click this link[34] to receive daily LancsLive breaking news and top stories.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.

If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.

If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.[35]

Subscribe to our daily newsletter LANCS LIVE NEWS and get all the biggest stories from across Lancashire direct to your inbox[36]

References

1. ^ Ormskirk (www.lancs.live)
2. ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
3. ^ Court (www.lancs.live)
4. ^ Out-of-work dad started his own drugs line to make ends meet - but got caught after just 3 weeks (www.lancs.live)
5. ^ Lancashire (www.lancs.live)
6. ^ property (www.lancs.live)
7. ^ Padiham (www.lancs.live)
8. ^ Burnley (www.lancs.live)
9. ^ Father and son admit illegally supplying ketamine in East Lancs (www.lancs.live)
10. ^ the M6 (www.lancs.live)
11. ^ Lancaster (www.lancs.live)
12. ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
13. ^ Court (www.lancs.live)
14. ^ Morecambe (www.lancs.live)
15. ^ Boy died 'in terror' on M6 as his father crashed van while high on cocaine (www.lancs.live)
16. ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
17. ^ Altham (www.lancs.live)
18. ^ Every word judge said as he jailed Ryan Wellings for sick abuse of Kiena Dawes (www.lancs.live)
19. ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
20. ^ Court (www.lancs.live)
21. ^ Dad drove at 'traumatised' partner on garage forecourt and threatened her with acid (www.lancs.live)
22. ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
23. ^ Nelson (www.lancs.live)
24. ^ Court (www.lancs.live)
25. ^ Drunk dad downed two litres of vodka then attacked partner and the family bulldog (www.lancs.live)
26. ^ Ormskirk (www.lancs.live)
27. ^ Skelmersdale (www.lancs.live)
28. ^ Dad's sick joke to girlfriend after bulldog 'bit off' newborn son's toes (www.lancs.live)
29. ^ Preston (www.lancs.live)
30. ^ Court (www.lancs.live)
31. ^ 'A gross abuse of trust': Shameless Blackpool dad shows no emotion as he's jailed for brutal murder of 'helpless son' (www.lancs.live)
32. ^ Lancashire (www.lancs.live)
33. ^ click on this link (chat.whatsapp.com)
34. ^ Click this link (chat.whatsapp.com)
35. ^ Privacy Notice (www.reachplc.com)
36. ^ Subscribe to our daily newsletter LANCS LIVE NEWS and get all the biggest stories from across Lancashire direct to your inbox (www.lancs.live)