It's been an eventful year in the county's courts, and we have covered hundreds of cases and seen numerous criminals brought to justice - from killers to drugs gangs, dangerous drivers to rapists.
No day is the same, whether it be at Preston Crown Court or Burnley Crown Court, or even one of the magistrates' courts; and when you step through those doors and into the court room you realise that no case is the same either.
While many of the tales we relay to our readers will sound familiar -'drugs gang jailed for X amount of years', or 'man jailed for town centre burglaries' - some of the stories we hear piqued your interest more than others.
So here, we've provided a comprehensive round-up of the biggest court stories of 2022.
Today, we take you back to the courts between January and June.
Tomorrow we'll cover July to December.
January
Blackburn man who punched ex-girlfriend so hard she lost a tooth jailed
A 'bully and a coward' who punched the mother of his son so hard in the mouth that she lost one of her teeth was jailed.
Waqas Khan appeared at Preston Crown Court charged with causing grievous bodily harm and two counts of breaching a non-molestation order imposed on him in May 2021.
The order was made in respect of his ex-partner, Lauren Entwistle, who was also the mother of his two-year-old son.
Miss Entwistle had applied for the application after two years of violence at the hands of Khan, of Richmond Terrace, Darwen, which began while she was pregnant.
Father and daughter banned from having animal licence as Mucky Pups pair sentenced
A father and daughter who were convicted of animal welfare offences in relation to a doggy day care centre have been banned from holding animal activity licences.
Lauren and John Walker were sentenced at Blackpool Magistrates Court following the emergence of videos on social media, taken by a former employee, showing John Walker abusing dogs in his care at Mucky Pups Doggy Day Care Centre in Rishton in December 2019.
One video appeared to show John Walker picking a dog up by the scruff of its neck, beating it and throwing it across the floor, while the dog can be heard whimpering and crying.
Blackburn taxi driver jailed for sexually assaulting passenger in back of his cab
A taxi driver sexually assaulted a passenger in the back of his cab.
Mohammed Nadeem, of Barley Close, Blackburn, appeared before Preston Crown Court in January charged with one count of sexual assault.
The 45-year-old was found guilty of the offence at a trial in November last year, where the jury delivered a unanimous verdict.
Blackburn dad jailed for more than two years after admitting to seven child sex offences
A dad was jailed after admitting to seven child sex offences.
Gareth Holliday, of Devon Road in Blackburn, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, three counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following grooming.
He was sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Court in January.
Man who killed woman in axe attack found not guilty of murder
A man was found not guilty of murder after he embarked on an axe attack and killed a woman.
Yaqub Malik, 57, was cleared by a jury of murdering Ishrat Ahmed on July 4 last year, but found guilty of manslaughter.
Malik, a healthcare worker, was also cleared of the attempted murder of Afaq Ahmed – Ishrat’s husband.
Throughout January, a jury at Preston Crown Court have heard how Malik drove to the couple’s home on Robert Street in Nelson before he hit Mrs Ahmed, 52, over the head with an axe, causing a fatal injury.
Re-read the story here: Man who killed woman in axe attack found not guilty of murder
Nelson couple jailed for causing death of eight-day-old baby
A mother and father who caused the death of their eight-day-old baby were jailed for a total of 18 years.
Throughout the course of a long trial at Preston Crown Court, Sophie Nash and her partner Daniel Nolan blamed one another for the ‘catastrophic’ injuries sustained by their baby Ava Grace Nolan in her short life.
In January they were both found guilty by a jury of causing or allowing the death of a child.
Full story here: Nelson couple jailed for causing death of eight-day-old baby
February
Violent Blackburn criminal attacked grandad as he waited for taxi
A grandad who was trying to get home after a night out was taken to the ground, robbed and attacked by an ‘out of control’ criminal.
The man had been out at a pub in Blackburn town centre before he made his way to Darwen Street in order to arrange a taxi home.
But before he had the chance to get in the vehicle he was approached by ‘feral’ Saliou Diaw who had been out prowling the streets.
The pair engaged in conversation for a couple of minutes before Diaw dragged his victim around a corner, pulled him to the ground, straddled him and robbed him of his phone and wallet.
Re-read the story here: Violent Blackburn criminal attacked grandad as he waited for taxi
Burnley men involved in supply of multiple kilos of cocaine jailed for more than 22 years
Two men from Burnley and one from Greater Manchester were jailed for supplying multiple kilos of class A and B drugs across the North West
In June 2020 a nationwide operation led by the National Crime Agency was launched to break through Encrochat - a highly sophisticated and encrypted global communication service - being used by organised crime groups.
During this time GMP's Serious Organised Crime Group (SOCG) received data relating to three encrochat users 'Reebokone' being used by Stuart Anderson, 40, from Manchester; 'Cactusone' belonging to Tony Mendes, 33; and 'Freerolextwo' belonging to Jordan Dobbie, 31, both from Burnley.
Blackburn Nivea moisturiser sex pest jailed
A prolific sex pest who has previously been jailed for grabbing a paramedic’s breasts was sent to prison again after trying to put moisturiser on a woman and kissing her face.
Yusuf Makda, 43, was sentenced at Preston’s Sessions House after pleading guilty to sexual assault.
The incident took place at around 6.30pm on July 15 last year in Darwen.
The court heard a young woman had been drinking with friends and was waiting in her car for her boyfriend to come and collect her as she felt she had had too much alcohol to drive.
Re-read in full here: Blackburn Nivea moisturiser sex pest jailed
Blackburn mum's disgust at sentence for teen who stabbed her son in chest
The mother of a 16-year-old boy who was stabbed in the chest says she is disgusted at the sentence handed down to his attacker.
Billy Baxter, from Blackburn, was walking along Bank Top in Blackburn, close to the Tesco Express, at around 6.45pm on Friday September 17.
He was approached by another teen, punched, and then stabbed in the chest.
Officers attended the scene and found the 16-year-old had already been taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital by a passer-by and was later transferred to a hospital in Manchester for surgery on his heart.
Re-read in full: Blackburn mum's disgust at sentence for teen who stabbed her son in chest
Darwen man strangled ex and told her she would 'take last breath'
A man strangled his ex-partner, telling her she was 'taking her last breath' the night she celebrated her birthday with friends.
Ryan Albert Sutcliffe, 32, climbed through the window of his ex-girlfriend and mother of his child's house before chasing her and grabbing her by the throat, a court heard.
Prosecuting the case, Mark Phillips told the court how Sutcliffe saw his ex-partner out in the Victoria Pub on Sudell Road in Darwen on July 24, 2020, while she was celebrating her birthday with friends.
Full story: Darwen man strangled ex and told her she would 'take last breath'
March
Jail for Blackburn man who battered two women almost a year to the day apart
A man who assaulted two women, including the mother of his child, almost a year to the day apart, has been jailed.
Corey Freedman appeared at Preston Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to actual bodily harm which dated back to an incident on September 26, 2020, and another count of ABH as well as making threats to kill on September 25, 2021.
The court heard how Freedman had been out with his partner, who was pregnant at the time, on the evening of September 26, 2020, when an argument broke out outside the Stop and Rest pub in Blackburn.
Full story: Jail for Blackburn man who battered two women almost a year to the day apart
This is the man who rammed his Audi into people on Blackburn street
This is the face of the man who used his car as a brutal weapon when a brawl broke out on a town centre street.
Shocking scenes gripped bystanders on Feilden Street in Blackburn when Khuram Ilyas, pictured, got into his Audi and drove it at a group of pedestrians, causing one of them to go flying into the air.
The man, Dhanish Akhtar, was left with serious permanent injuries as a result of the attack.
Preston Crown Court heard how Ilyas had travelled from Bolton to the East Lancashire town with four friends in March 2019 for a night out before the incident took place.
Full story: This is the man who rammed his Audi into people on Blackburn street
Blackburn paedophile found with images of kids as young as four
A paedophile asked the probation service whether he could look at pictures of 18 and 19-year-old boys instead of younger teens.
Darren Ernest Clarence Roberts, 51, downloaded specialist deleting software to clear devices of any evidence of him searching for ‘gay teen porn’ just two days before his devices were checked by officers.
Burnley Crown Court was told that Roberts was placed on the sex offenders register in 1999, subjecting him to regular checks of his technology by police.
Re-read in full here: Blackburn paedophile found with images of kids as young as four
April
Married man was kidnapped and blackmailed on Grindr date
A gang of fraudsters who blackmailed a married father who arranged to meet a man for sex, ordering him to hand over £40,000, were jailed for a combined 18 years.
The East Lancashire man had been in bed with Kamar Ilyas, who he had met using the social media application Grindr, when Aman Khan and Khalil Chaudhry came bursting into the room recording them with a mobile phone.
The victim, who Preston Crown Court heard was a “respectable married man”, was then told by the intruders that the person he was in bed with underage.
Full story here: Married man was kidnapped and blackmailed on Grindr date
Burnley man involved in multi-million pound class A drugs ring
Two men involved in a million pound class A drugs ring were jailed for more than 20 years.
Faizal Hussain, 31, of Cranbrook Street, Oldham, and Rezwan Javed, 45 of Meadow Close, Burnley, were sentenced to a combined total of 24 year at Manchester Crown Court for conspiracy to supply class A drugs, and conspiracy to conceal, convert, disguise, or transfer criminal property.
Greater Manchester Police's Serious and Organised Crime Group were able to topple the gang after their messages discussing wholesale amounts of cocaine and heroin on the encrypted network, EncroChat, were exposed following the take-down of the communications platform in June 2020.
Full story here: Burnley man involved in multi-million pound class A drugs ring
Burnley bank clerk admits stealing thousands from Halifax customers
A bank clerk admitted abusing her position by taking thousands of pounds from customer’s bank accounts.
Hannah Bibi withdrew a combined total of more than £13,000 from the accounts of two customers and a further amount, which is currently disputed, from a third.
Appearing at Burnley Crown Court on Wednesday, April 6, the 25-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by abuse of position, having first appeared at Burnley Magistrates' Court on March 8 on the charges.
The court heard how Bibi had been working at the Halifax branch in Curzon Street, Burnley, at the time the offences were committed between February 8, 2020, and April 28, 2021.
Re-read in full here: Burnley bank clerk admits stealing thousands from Halifax customers
Blackburn man jailed for role in major drugs gang
A man got involved with a large-scale drug conspiracy after meeting a criminal associate in prison, a court heard.
Pirashad Hashmi "caused misery" by helping to import and supply heroin and cocaine to thousands living across the North West from his home in Blackburn.
The 27-year-old was caught out during an investigation into criminals who used a mobile encryption service known as ‘Encrochat’ to conduct business.
Prosecuting the case, David Clarke explained how criminals across the world used specialist mobile phones to conduct illegal activity, such as the sale and purchase of large amounts of drugs and to launder cash.
Re-read in full here: Blackburn man jailed for role in major drugs gang
Accrington man dressed as woman battered his date in attack
A man left his date fading in and out of consciousness after he lost his temper and set about battering her.
The woman recalls seeing Zaid Ahmed, who was dressed in women's clothing, "ripping off his wig" before he launched a brutal assault upon her, leaving her with 28 separate injuries.
Burnley Crown Court heard how Ahmed, 50, had arranged to meet with the woman, with whom he had met with on one previous occasion, late in the evening on June 12, 2018.
Summarising the case, Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC said: “She had met with you on an earlier occasion and because of what had previously occurred she was willing to go trustingly with you to your home.”
Full story here: Accrington man dressed as woman battered his date in attack
May
Blackburn man, 23, jailed for sending pictures of his penis to a child via Xbox
A "persistent" paedophile who groomed a 13-year-old boy via online gaming and sent him photos of his genitals has been jailed.
Ryan Curry, 23, of Derham Street, Blackburn, contacted the boy via an Xbox video game and sent him pictures of his penis.
He also asked his victim to film himself masturbating for his own sexual gratification.
Judge Darren Preston said his behaviour demonstrated "persistent and prolonged grooming".
Full story here: Blackburn man, 23, jailed for sending pictures of his penis to a child via Xbox
East Lancs dealers who made over £70k selling drugs jailed for more than 21 years
Three men involved in a large-scale conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs across East Lancashire have been jailed.
Umar Hamid, who is already serving a 17-year sentence for rape, Joshua Haslam, and Charles Robertshaw, were all jailed for a combined total of more than 21 years at a hearing in Preston Crown Court on Wednesday.
Rapist Hamid, 31, who refused to attend his sentencing, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply Class A and one of Class B drugs in May 2021, after initially entering not guilty pleas.
Full story here: East Lancs dealers who made over £70k selling drugs jailed for more than 21 years
Blackburn fraudster allowed to continue renting out property after council blunder
A convicted fraudster who once claimed benefits on behalf of a dead tenant will be allowed to continue renting out property after a banning order against him was rejected.
A judge ruled a "remarkable oversight" by Blackburn with Darwen Council had voided their application to prevent Sakib Zarif from conducting further business.
Zarif, who owns several properties in Blackburn, became the subject of a criminal investigation in 2019 after concerns were raised about the potential exploitation of some of his tenants.
Story in full: Blackburn fraudster allowed to continue renting out property after council blunder
Burnley machete gang jailed for attack on man
A gang of hooligans who attacked a man with machetes and fireworks as he stood on the doorstep of his home were jailed for a combined total of 10 years.
Reece Murgatroyd, Joel Ludlam, Tom Morley and George Barnes worked together to carry-out a "focused and violent" attack on their victim Bradley Grant last September.
Preston Crown Court heard how the men arrived at an address in Padiham driven by Barnes, of Green Street, Padiham, and Ludlam before launching their assault on groundworker Mr Grant.
Re-read in full: Burnley machete gang jailed for attack on man
Dangerous driver led officers on prolonged East Lancashire pursuit
A wanted man led officers on a high-speed chase around the streets of East Lancashire towns during a pursuit which lasted more than an hour.
Specialist police officers followed Reece Murgatroyd from Padiham towards the Stoops estate, back to Padiham, onto Burnley town centre and then to Accrington and back for 90 minutes before he stopped the stolen vehicle he was driving.
During the chase the 23-year-old ploughed over a playing field where children regularly gather, mounted pavements, drove through traffic lights, drove the wrong way around a roundabout and at one stage, used a mobile phone
Story in full: Dangerous driver led officers on prolonged East Lancashire pursuit
Blackburn driver jailed for killing much-loved pensioner
A popular pensioner who was on his way home from an afternoon out with friends was killed when he was struck by a speeding driver.
Harry Davies had just got off the bus, and was crossing Blackburn Road in Accrington when he had the misfortune of encountering a then 21-year-old Thuron Miah – who knocked him down while driving at more than 20mph over the speed limit.
Burnley Crown Court heard how the defendant has several motoring offences to his name, committed both before and after his driving killed Mr Davies
Story in full: Blackburn driver jailed for killing much-loved pensioner
Blackburn men who left man in a coma walk free from court
An aspiring motorcycle racer had to have part of his skull removed after he was set upon by a group of men who stamped on his head and spat at him during seemingly unprovoked attack.
The two men responsible for inflicting life-changing injuries on Mitchell Gibbons, leaving him fighting for his life and in intensive care for several weeks, walked free from court after receiving 180 hours of unpaid work each.
Re-read here: Blackburn men who left man in a coma walk free from court
Burnley sports coach who had sex with girl back in court
A school sports coach who was jailed for having sex with a 14-year-old in a classroom has avoided being sent back to prison – despite breaching a court order.
Glyn Harrison, previously known as Glyn Thompson, had been working in a primary school in Burnley when the original offences took place back in 2011-2013.
In September 2013 he was sentenced to eight years in prison for the offences and was also made the subject of a sexual offence prevention order and notification requirements.
Re-read full story here: Burnley sports coach who had sex with girl back in court
Accrington drug line gang jailed for more than 30 years
A crime gang who flooded the streets of East Lancashire with lethal drugs were jailed for a combined total of more than 30 years.
As part of a major investigation into drug supply in Accrington, detectives also prosecuted four people who were knowingly allowing their homes to be used for the supply of Class A drugs.
Members of the gang, one of whom had already been arrested, were seen jumping out of a window before later being found by officers executing a warrant at one of their drug dens.
Re-read in full here: Accrington drug line gang jailed for more than 30 years
Men jailed for 24 years for Accrington ammonia Post Office robbery
A prolific criminal and his getaway driver who sprayed three post office workers in the face with ammonia have each been jailed for 12 years.
Daniel Burtak, 35, was driven from Bolton by accomplice Colin Naylor, 51, in disguise with a beard and scarf to a post office on Abbey Street in Accrington on May 10, 2019, before demanding £15,000 in cash from the tellers.
While taking the cash from the safe and tills, Burtak sprayed ammonia from a washing-up bottle in the faces of three defenceless workers, leaving them to require hospital treatment, with one worker who had 16 years of service saying she was unable to return to the post office after the attack.
Full story here: Men jailed for 24 years for Accrington ammonia Post Office robbery
"Two-faced sexual pervert" recorded woman and teenage girl
A ‘two-faced sexual pervert’ who set up cameras to spy on a woman and a teenage girl was jailed for 40 months.
Mohammed Kara, 61, moved to Leicester after it was found he had set up cameras to observe the pair in private.
Preston Crown Court heard how Kara was living in Blackburn when he set up the cameras.
Prosecutor Stephen Parker said the recordings were then saved on memory sticks so that Kara could access them later.
Full story: "Two-faced sexual pervert" recorded woman and teenage girl
June
Police officer from Darwen jailed for 'violent' attempted rape
A woman said she "should have been able to trust" a police officer who attacked and tried to rape her in her home, a court heard.
Ernesto Ceraldi, from Darwen, who has now resigned from Greater Manchester Police, was jailed at Preston Crown Court.
He was off duty on the night when he went back to the woman's house before attacking her.
Prosecuting, David Traynor said Ceraldi, who was a specialised dog handler, was off duty and with some friends in The Coach pub, Edenfield, on April 1 when he met his victim.
Story in full here: Police officer from Darwen jailed for 'violent' attempted rape
Man who 'stumbled out of nightclub' drove around Burnley park in chase
An ‘appalling’ and dangerous driver who had been drinking at a nightclub drove on the paths through a park while police were chasing him.
Aaron George, 32, had stolen his girlfriend Lisa Barton’s Audi when the two separated after an argument.
Prosecuting the case, Paul Cummings said George was seen at 6.30am on Saturday, May 14, stumbling out of a nightclub, before getting into the driving seat of the white Audi with two friends also getting in the car.
Full story: Man who 'stumbled out of nightclub' drove around Burnley park in chase
Four jailed after 40kg drugs and guns found at Darwen warehouse
Police found more than £800,000 worth of drugs, two handguns with a silencer and a shotgun at a warehouse unit which was supposedly being used to store “building materials”, a court heard.
Four men, Damien Derbyshire, 49, Benjamin Snell, 34, Jay Carney, 24, and Ryan O'Donnell, 32, were jailed for a combined 25 years at Preston Crown Court for their involvement in the organised drug-dealing ring.
Prosecutor Keith Sutton explained how police executed a warrant into the unit at Ellenshaw Works in Darwen on October 11, 2019
Re-read in full here: Four jailed after 40kg drugs and guns found at Darwen warehouse
Abuser jailed after hitting woman so hard she lost her child
A man was jailed after he went to his ex-partner's home and attacked her, causing her to suffer a miscarriage, after the end of a "poisonous" relationship.
Junior Kenyon, 29, was subject to a community order after two other assaults on the same woman in 2020 when he attacked her earlier this year.
Burnley Crown Court heard how on March 9, Kenyon, of Larch Street, Nelson, visited his ex-partner's home and let himself in, however, she made it clear he was not welcome.
She gave him a short amount of time to get his stuff as they still shared the property and then asked him to leave, however, he was angered by this and started to attack her.
Re-read in full: Abuser jailed after hitting woman so hard she lost her child
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