Courts deal with King’s Lynn kebab shop fights, arson attacks and finger-biting arrests
Picture: Norfolk Police
Arsonist jailed after setting fire to campervan while man was inside[1] South Lynn man Jack Smith, 36, had pleaded guilty to arson, being reckless as to whether life is endangered, following a shocking incident on December 9 last year. At Norwich Crown Court, Smith, of Hillen Road, was sentenced to 21 months behind bars.
The defendant sprayed an instant adhesive - a type of glue - over the windows and door of a campervan before setting fire to it while a man was inside. The victim managed to escape the campervan without any injuries and was able to extinguish the flames before calling the police, with Smith arrested at the scene.
72-year-old accused of stalking by following woman at home and work[2] Brian Pead, 72, of Regent Place in Lynn, appeared at the town's magistrates' court this afternoon, charged with stalking.
The accusations relate to incidents between June 1, 2023 and January 3 this year, alleging that on Stow Road, near Magdalen, he followed, monitored and attended the home and work place of a woman, causing her alarm or distress.
Pead did not enter a plea, and the case was adjourned following claims from the pensioner that the crown had not served him with any evidence about his case. The chair of the magistrates allowed the court usher to print out evidence for him so it could be served physically, and he could review it before his next hearing on June 4. Woman banned from town after assaults and thefts[3]
Tara Berry, 35, of Meadow Close in Narborough, appeared at Norwich Magistrates' Court yesterday and was handed a criminal behaviour order - as well as a 16-week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months.
Picture: Breckland Police
The offences she admitted included assault, several retail thefts, assaulting an officer, and criminal damage. Her behaviour order will be in place for two years, and says she must not enter any part of Dereham, must not enter an address in Swanton Morley, and must not enter Asda in Necton.
West Norfolk man part of group jailed after smuggling ?1.4m ketamine haul[4] Nathan Wellard, 55, of Thetford Road in Northwold, was among the five-man team that smuggled more than 200kg of the Class B drug into Suffolk.
Yesterday, he was jailed for two years, suspended for 18 months, and was handed 100 hours of unpaid work.
Picture: NCA
Officers from the National Crime Agency caught the drug-carrying fishing boat called 'Girl Carole' entering the River Deben during the early hours of February 17, 2024. 'Tanked up' man avoids jail after assaulting police during kebab shop arrest[5]
Tommy Chapman, 23, of Kings Green in Fairstead, appeared at Lynn Magistrates' Court on Thursday, having already pleaded guilty to two assaults on an emergency worker and resisting arrest in May. He was also found guilty at trial on March 13 this year for another assault on an officer and resisting arrest in relation to an incident in October.
The assualts saw Chapman kick a police woman in the chest while in custody and punch another when they came to arrest him at his home. The bench imposed a 16-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and he has been ordered to pay a victim surcharge of ?154 and court costs of ?500.
He will also be subject to 25 rehabilitation activity days and will need to complete 60 days of alcohol monitoring. Drink-driver, 65, disqualified after flipping truck in village crash[6]
Police were called to the single-vehicle crash on Malts Lane in Hockwold on March 28, where an Isuzu D-Max Utility had flipped over onto its side. The driver, 65-year-old Jamie Wright, was later found to have had 49mcg of alcohol in his system per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
At Lynn Magistrates' Court on Thursday, Wright, of Cowles Drove in Hockwold, pleaded guilty to drink-driving.
He was handed a 14-month driving ban, which can be reduced by 14 weeks if he completes the course by January 16 next year. He will also have to pay a ?500 fine, a ?200 victim surcharge and ?85 in court costs. Woman who bit police officer's finger following drink-drive arrest avoids jail[7]
Courtney Purnell, 29, of Station Road in Walpole St Andrew, sank her teeth into the constable while being tested for alcohol in custody on December 17.
She had called the police on herself at around 5am that morning, telling them she was too unwell to drive home, and when they arrived, they found her white Mini blocking part of Holcombe Avenue in Lynn.
Purnell reappeared at Lynn Magistrates' Court on Friday following a pre-sentence report and was handed a 12-month community order, through which she will be subject to a mental health requirement, and will have to complete ten rehabilitation activity days. She will also have to pay a fine of ?135, a ?114 victim surcharge, ?85 in court costs and ?50 compensation to the police officer who was assaulted. The defendant has been banned from driving for 18-months, which dates back to her court appearance in January, when she was handed an interim disqualification.
Drink-driver admits causing death of 'amazing' mother in fatal crash[8]
Fiona Myhill, 52, pleaded guilty to causing death by driving while unfit through drink at Norwich Crown Court. It comes following a crash in Rougham on May 19 last year after her Nissan X-Trail collided with a Ford Fiesta.
The other driver, Karen Eateen, 52, died in hospital the next day Myhill is set to be sentenced on Friday, June 26.
It is yet to be confirmed if the hearing will be held at Norwich or Lynn Crown Court.
She remains on bail with conditions not to drive.
Sign up for our free In The Dock newsletter here to find out who has appeared at Lynn Magistrates' Court.[9]
References
- ^ Arsonist jailed after setting fire to campervan while man was inside (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ 72-year-old accused of stalking by following woman at home and work (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ Woman banned from town after assaults and thefts (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ West Norfolk man part of group jailed after smuggling ?1.4m ketamine haul (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ 'Tanked up' man avoids jail after assaulting police during kebab shop arrest (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ Drink-driver, 65, disqualified after flipping truck in village crash (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ Woman who bit police officer's finger following drink-drive arrest avoids jail (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ Drink-driver admits causing death of 'amazing' mother in fatal crash (lynnnews.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.lynnnews.co.uk)