Every month we bring you a round-up of the East Lancashire defendants sent to jail for their crimes.
October has been a quieter month in the county's courts, but it has still seen its fair share of criminals banged up for breaking the law.
From drug dealers to paedophiles, violent offenders to burglars, rapists to cases of animal cruelty, more than 17 people have been sent to prison as a result of their crimes.
Here is our list of all those put behind bars in the month of October:
Accrington dealer threw phone and tried to run from police
A man who was dealing cocaine and heroin threw his mobile phone as he tried to run from the police.
Faisal Shah was spotted by officers in the midst of a drugs transaction in Accrington in October 2022.
Prosecuting at Burnley Crown Court, Peter Barr said: “At around 2pm on October 20, police saw a group of four people huddled together and it seemed a drugs transaction was taking place.
“The defendant was asked to stop but he ran away and threw his mobile phone.”
Full story here: Accrington dealer threw phone and tried to run from police
Rossendale man damaged car and breached restraining order
A man damaged a car and breached his restraining order by going drinking with the woman he was not supposed to contact.
Mark Walker had been handed a restraining order in January 2021, but in August last year his victim contacted him, and they met up on August 18 to have a drink together.
Burnley Crown Court heard how at just before 1am on August 19, the pair began arguing in the street, waking one of the residents.
Peter Barr prosecuting said: “A man saw two people in the street - the defendant and the woman.
Full story here: Rossendale man damaged car and breached restraining order.
Stephen Clark sentenced for threatening messages and assault
A man sent threatening messages to his ex-partner on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, including threats to kill her.
Stephen Clark, 36, was being sentenced for a breach of restraining order and sending malicious communications.
He appeared at Preston Crown Court alongside Paul Mooney, 29, with the pair also being sentenced together for offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and affray.
The court heard how Clark had been in a relationship with his ex-partner for 11 years,but had been given a restraining order against her due to a conviction of criminal damage in 2021.
Full story here: Stephen Clark sentenced for threatening messages and assault
Man stabbed friend and threatened to slit his throat
A father with a history of violent offending stabbed his friend and threatened to slit his throat, believing that he’d plied his daughter with alcohol and got her drunk.
Daniel Stott, 39, went to Alan Edwards’ house on November 14 last year after hearing that his daughter had been in Mr Edwards’ home some three days earlier and had become intoxicated.
Preston Crown Court heard how Stott, who was at the time serving a suspended sentence for an assault he committed in 2019, turned up on Mr Edwards’ doorstep armed with a sharp weapon.
Full story here: Man stabbed friend and threatened to slit his throat
Men jailed for more than 10 years over Pablo line conspiracy
Three men who were selling crack cocaine and heroin on the streets of East Lancashire have been jailed for a combined total of more than 10 years.
Amir Shah, Pavel Kantor and Shaun Dowd appeared at Burnley Crown Court to be sentenced for their involvement with the Pablo drugs line which was instrumental in supplying crack cocaine and heroin to users in Pendle between August 2021 and February 2022.
Two other defendants, Adam Mullarky and Benjamin Lee, have already been jailed for their part in the conspiracy.
Full story here: Men jailed for more than 10 years over Pablo line conspiracy
Former soldier and prolific burglar stole from Burnley Hospital
A former soldier and prolific burglar with more than 150 offences to his name stole from an East Lancashire hospital before assaulting two emergency workers.
Heroin addict, Liam Tomlinson, 36, was seen loitering by security staff at Burnley General Hospital on August 7, Preston Crown Court heard.
He was with a female, and told security staff he was homeless, but was ordered to move on, which he did, only to return the following day.
Prosecuting, Mercedeh Jabbari said the pair were once again told to leave the site on August 8, but not long after, it became apparent there had been a burglary.
Full story here: Former soldier and prolific burglar stole from Burnley Hospital
Robert Riley formed relationships with women with children
A convicted sex offender formed relationships with three women who all had children before staying at their homes without informing the police.
Robert Riley was convicted of possession of indecent images of children in November 2020, and his sentence included being placed on the sex offenders register, as well as a five year a sexual harm prevention order.
However, on October 5, Preston Crown Court heard how Riley had pleaded guilty to four breaches of his sexual harm prevention order and four offences of failing to notify in relation to the sex offenders register.
Full story here: Robert Riley formed relationships with women with children
Blackburn burglar broke into cafes and takeaways in spree
A prolific burglar broke into a range of cafes and takeaways across Blackburn in a spree spanning three months.
Keana Stephens, 25, began this bout of offending on June 16 of this year by entering a black Nissan car that had been left insecure in the street and taking a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses worth £250, £40 in cash, and a bank card.
Three days later, Stephens entered the Chai Station coffee chop in Cherry Street though a window and took £450 from the till, and on the same day entered another Nissan car where he took a wallet, fairy lights, and cleaning products worth up to £200.
Full story here: Blackburn burglar broke into cafes and takeaways in spree
Nelson men robbed elderly man of possessions in own home
Two men from Nelson robbed an elderly man of his mobile phone, TV and multiple watches.
Robert Gaina, 18, and Richard Chamberlain, 33, were wearing dark clothes and making loud noises outside the victim's flat in Carr Road, Nelson.
Gaina started to urinate against the wall before owner of the flat, David Halstead, went out to see what the commotion was.
Preston Crown Court heard that Mr Halstead, who is in his 70s, invited Gaina and Chamberlain in his flat on February 3.
Full story here: Nelson men robbed elderly man of possessions in own home
Man found with almost 1kg of heroin and £2,000 in cash
A young man who was found with almost 1kg of heroin in his house told police he was looking after it for a friend.
Hassan Shahzad was spotted by police on July 5 driving an Audi vehicle which they attempted to pursue.
Burnley Crown Court heard how police were unable to catch up to the Audi and later found it abandoned and a search for the driver began.
Prosecuting, Adam White said officers managed locate Shahzad, 23, and he was detained and found to have £2,000 in cash in his possession.
Full story here: Man found with almost 1kg of heroin and £2,000 in cash
Former jockey from Burnley jailed over badger fighting video
A former jockey has been sent to prison after footage on his mobile phone showed him illegally fighting two dogs with a badger in Lancashire.
One of the dogs had 22 individual scarred puncture wounds on the side of his head from the incident.
The “absolutely horrific” film, which was recorded in Burnley in June 2021, was described by an RSPCA inspector as “very difficult to watch and to listen to”.
Brandon Lawlor, 23, of Lowerhouse Lane, Burnley, pleaded guilty to one offence contrary to the Protection of Badgers Act 1991 when he appeared at Blackpool Magistrates' Court on September 21 in a prosecution brought by the RSPCA.
Full story here: Former jockey from Burnley jailed over badger fighting video
Bacup man raped vulnerable girl just before 16th birthday
A man who raped a 15-year-old girl, leaving her with long term mental health issues, has been sentenced for his wicked crimes.
Andrew Orrell, 59, had pleaded not guilty to rape but was found guilty by a jury of the historic sex offence.
Preston Crown Court heard he raped the teenager in the summer of 2005, when he was then 41.
Orrell, who still maintains his innocence, raped the girl at his flat after he stopped his car to buy alcohol at a nearby shop, just weeks before her 16th birthday.
Full story here: Bacup man raped vulnerable girl just before 16th birthday
Kielan Shennan was involved in supplying crack and heroin
A 24-year-old man organised 'runners' to supply class A drugs across Burnley and Rossendale.
An investigation by Greater Manchester Police's county lines team found that Kielan Shennan was involved in supplying crack cocaine and heroin across East Lancashire using a busy drugs line.
Shennan came to the attention of police after phone evidence implicated a mobile number being used as a drugs line and the investigation team set about determining who was in control of the phone and where this person was located.
Full story here: Kielan Shennan was involved in supplying crack and heroin
Woman stole £9,000 from father while he was in hospital
A “despicable” woman who was addicted to drink and drugs stole almost £9,000 from her father while he was ill in hospital.
Tracy Rose transferred money from her elderly father’s bank accounts into her own accounts, draining his savings and leaving him with nothing, Preston Crown Court heard.
Rose’s actions resulted in her dad, Donald Rose, missing direct debit payments on two life insurance plans and his funeral plan, which meant he lost all three of the policies.
Full story here: Woman stole £9,000 from father while he was in hospital
Colne sex offender jailed for breaching suspended sentence
A convicted sex offender who received a suspended sentence for facilitating the commission of a child sex offence has been jailed after breaching the conditions of his order multiple times.
Paul Gibbin was jailed for 18 months suspended for two years in 2022 after striking up a conversation online with an undercover police officer, and attempting to arrange to meet his ‘11-year-old daughter’.
The meeting never took place and the child was not real, but Gibbin was charged with the offence and sentenced at Chester Crown Court in November.
Full story here: Colne sex offender jailed for breaching suspended sentence
Cameron Hughes caused death of Bonny Rae Barrow in crash
A courier who had been seen on CCTV inhaling laughing gas from balloons as he drove, caused the death of a teenage girl when his van ploughed off a bridge.
Cameron Hughes, 24, had also been on his mobile phone moments before he veered off the northbound exit slip road of the A56 near Huncoat on Friday, July 7, as he approached a sharp turn at high speed.
His passenger, 15-year-old Bonny Rae Barrow, was seriously injured and rushed to hospital, where she later died.
Full story here: Cameron Hughes caused death of Bonny Rae Barrow in crash
Accrington cannabis drug gang members jailed for 30 months
Five men involved in a major cannabis operation which cultivated tens of thousands of pounds worth of the drug have been sentenced.
Liam Davies, Anthony Evans, Carl Frost, Darren Newey and Mohammed Qabir all appeared at Burnley Crown Court for their parts in the operation.
The gang controlled the production, supply and importation of nearly £20,400 worth of cannabis from a house in Garbett Street, Accrington.
Davies, alongside his partners in crime Newey and Qabir, was involved in the supply and production of more than 2kg of cannabis, after Qabir offered to pick Newey up in his car from Dover.
Full story here: Accrington cannabis drug gang members jailed for 30 months
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