Every month we bring you a round up of the East Lancashire criminals jailed for breaking the law.
And despite the courts closing for a short break over Christmas, December wasn't without its fair share of offenders who have now spent the festive period behind bars.
From killer drivers to murderers, the usual drug dealers, to shoplifters and pickpockets, thugs and fraudsters.
Here's our round-up of all the East Lancashire lags banged up at the end of 2023:
Blackburn OAP warned about eyesight mowed down granddad
An 81-year-old man told nine years ago to stop driving due to his failing eyesight who lied to the DVLA killed another pensioner after running him over while speeding.
Neil Pemberton, of Brownhill Road, Blackburn, is deaf and extremely visually impaired, and was driving 18mph over the 30mph speed limit when he hit and killed 80-year-old Peter Westwell on March 17, 2022.
In cruel irony, Mr Westwell, a much-loved grandfather and lover of the outdoors, had recently given up his driving licence on advice of his doctor due to his deteriorating vision, and had begun walking more as a result.
Full story here: Blackburn OAP warned about eyesight mowed down granddad
Blackburn and Darwen drug dealers jailed over class A conspiracy
Two men involved in a cocaine and heroin conspiracy which resulted in £13,000 worth of drugs being seized were caught out after officers detected the smell of cannabis coming from one of their cars.
In November last year, officers spotted a vehicle parked up in Derby Street in Blackburn and could smell cannabis coming from the vehicle.
Preston Crown Court heard the officers approached the car and found that Tahir Shah was the driver, and an unknown male passenger.
Prosecuting, Gurdit Singh said one of the PCs asked for Shah’s details, but he provided a false name.
Full story here: Blackburn and Darwen drug dealers jailed over class A conspiracy
30-year-old man jailed for sex offences against boys
A man has been sentenced for a series of historical sex offences committed against boys in East Lancashire.
Matthew Linfield, 30, appeared at Preston Crown Court to be sentenced for 10 charges over offences that happened in Burnley and Colne.
Prosecutor Simon Blakebrough said the earliest dates Linfield pleaded guilty to were in 2007 and stretched into 2012, meaning the abuse spanned the best part of five years.
The matter was first reported to the police when a care coordinator to one of the boys discovered a text message sent by the defendant offering money for sexual favours.
Full story here: 30-year-old man jailed for sex offences against boys
Darwen teen stabbed man in liver with 'Rambo' knife
A teenager stabbed a man in the liver with a ‘Rambo’ style knife leaving him in an induced coma.
The boy also lured another man to a dark street, stabbed him and stole his car.
The 16-year-old from Darwen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Preston Crown Court where it was heard that the first incident took place in Darwen on October 23 2022.
Paul Cummings, prosecuting, told the court that the boy’s first victim had formulated a plot to steal some drugs from him on Argyle Street in Darwen.
Full story here: Darwen teen stabbed man in liver with 'Rambo' knife
Prolific Blackburn criminals jailed for driving stolen car
Two prolific criminals in the grips of drug addiction who were given the keys to stolen vehicle have been jailed.
Preston Crown Court heard how a man named Martin Ridings had been driving his Ford Fiesta in Blackburn on August 26 when he became lost and ended up in Oban Drive.
Prosecuting, David Clarke said Mr Ridings pulled over in order to reverse and head back out the way he came, but before he could make the manoeuvre his passenger door was opened, and he was told by a man that his car was being taken.
Full story here: Prolific Blackburn criminals jailed for driving stolen car
Burnley man exacted 'vile racist abuse' on emergency staff
An alcoholic subjected emergency workers to “vile racist abuse” in three separate incidents.
Jason McKenzie, 38, appeared at Preston Crown Court on Thursday, November 30, where the court heard evidence from the prosecution and defence.
The case was adjourned to Thursday, December 7, so Judge Ian Unsworth could further consider the punishment.
Opening the case, Eleanor Myers described the first incident, which happened on October 30, 2022, at around 7pm outside Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Full story here: Burnley man exacted 'vile racist abuse' on emergency staff
Colne teenager assaulted man over some 'dodgy pink pills'
A teenager who assaulted a man in his own home over some “dodgy pink pills” before stealing his Xbox and medication will be released from jail imminently despite being handed an 11-month sentence.
Jake Blenkinsop, who was 18 at the time of the incident in June, was sent to youth custody for 11 months on Thursday by Judge Guy Mathieson.
However, because the now 19-year-old has already spent six months on remand, the equivalent of a 12-month custodial sentence, Judge Mathieson said he expected Blenkinsop to be released immediately.
Full story here: Colne teenager assaulted man over some 'dodgy pink pills'
Burnley paedophile and rapist branded 'dangerous' by judge
A “dangerous” paedophile and rapist will spend at least nine and a half years behind bars after being convicted of multiple historic sex offences which he committed against three children when he himself was a child.
Warren Templeton has also been jailed for a rape and two sexual assaults he carried out on a vulnerable man between 2008 and 2016, when he and his victim were both adults.
Burnley Crown Court heard how Templeton was between the ages of 13 and 17 when he carried out his first collection of sordid crimes against a boy and two girls, who were between the ages of six and 11.
Full story here: Burnley paedophile and rapist branded 'dangerous' by judge
Paranoid schizophrenic stabbed mother and sister at Blackburn home
A paranoid schizophrenic stabbed his mother in the neck over an argument about some cigarettes before going on to stab his sister in the back and shoulder.
Preston Crown Court heard how Khavar Najmi’s family had been worried about his mental state for some time, and on December 6 last year his mother, Musarat Najmi, had been to collect her daughter, Zanub Najmi, before returning to the family home in Pleck Farm Avenue, Blackburn.
Niamh Ingham, prosecuting, told the court that Najmi was standing in the kitchen when his mother and sister got home, and he asked his mother for some cigarettes.
Full story here: Paranoid schizophrenic stabbed mother and sister at Blackburn home
Convicted Blackburn paedophile caught by online decoy
A paedophile thought he was talking to a 13-year-old girl when he started sexual conversations with her over the internet.
Alan Burton, 69, was in fact talking to a decoy from an online child protection unit, but he did not know this when he messaged the Facebook profile for the decoy, a girl called Ellie May, starting the chat by saying ‘Hiya baby.’
The girl instantly informed Burton she was a 13-year-old from Belfast but the chat soon became sexualised, and Burton reiterated ‘it was a pity she was only 13’.
Full story here: Convicted Blackburn paedophile caught by online decoy
Man used Blackburn home to store 23kg of class A drugs
A man willingly kept more than 20kg of class A drugs in his house by way of paying back a debt he had rung up to drug dealers.
Faheem Khan allowed his house in Blackburn to be used by Mehair Ali and others for the storing of a large amount of cocaine and a small amount of heroin, stored mostly in the master bedroom of Khan and his wife, Rabbia Sajjad.
Khan said he had become close with the drug dealers during a difficult period in his life when he lost his father to illness, and used the friendship and the drugs they would give him to “fill the void.”
Full story here: Man used Blackburn home to store 23kg of class A drugs
Thug with appalling record threatened woman with hammer
A violent thug with an “appalling criminal record” threatened a woman he had been seeing for two weeks with a hammer.
Curtis Pearce, 33, had met his victim at some point in the Spring, and as she was homeless at the time he invited her to stay with him, Preston Crown Court heard.
Alison Whalley, prosecuting, told the court for the first two weeks everything was fine but then he became jealous and they started arguing.
Full story here: Thug with appalling record threatened woman with hammer
Pickpockets tried to steal money from man in Blackburn
A pair of callous pickpockets tried to steal an envelope of cash from a man, in Blackburn.
Totka Yordanova and Stanka Slavcheva were seen by security staff from the Mall Shopping Centre, attempting to steal from a man who had just withdrawn money from the bank.
Yordanova tried to take the envelope of cash from the man’s pocket while Slavcheva distracted him.
They were seen by alert security staff who caught them in the act and detained the duo at the scene.
Full story here: Pickpockets tried to steal money from man in Blackburn
Dangerous Burnley driver drove 80mph on 30mph road
A man drove at 80mph in a 30mph zone causing a nine minute police car chase while high on cocaine.
Jason Ramsey, 47, of Wellesley Street, Burnley, reached speeds of 80mph whilst he drove his mother's grey Fiat 500 through the streets of Burnley.
Burnley Crown Court heard that at 2.15am on Tuesday, April 11, a police pursuit began in Barden Street after Ramsey was spotted speeding by PC Beckett.
Prosecutor Mark Kellet told the court Ramsey had also drove through two red lights and over speed bumps in a 20mph zone, seen in CCTV footage played at court.
Full story here: Dangerous Burnley driver drove 80mph on 30mph road
Man who told girlfriend "I am going to kill you" sentenced
A man who said to his girlfriend he was "going to kill" her and punched her face repeatedly has been sentenced.
Christopher Read, 43, of Queen Street, Accrington, was out drinking with his girlfriend Sarah Hopkinson on the afternoon of Saturday, June 17.
As Read was on bail for another offence, the couple returned to Read's house at around 6:30pm as he had to be home due to his electronic tagging device on his ankle.
Full story here: Man who told girlfriend "I am going to kill you" sentenced
Craig Lloyd headbutted Darwen shopkeeper and threatened cop
A racist man headbutted a shopkeeper after being told to leave because he was barred, before threatening to “slice up” a female police officer and kill her.
Craig Lloyd, who was drunk at the time of the incident, had been barred from the One Stop in Darwen because of something that had happened on a previous occasion, Preston Crown Court heard.
However, the 32-year-old entered the shop on November 3 and made his way over to the alcohol section where he tried to pick up a four pack of beer.
Full story here: Craig Lloyd headbutted Darwen shopkeeper and threatened cop
Burnley couple assaulted and robbed driver at knife point
A couple who robbed and assaulted a taxi driver at knife point in Burnley have been sentenced.
Shaun Michael Hennessey, 33, of Griffin Close, Burnley, and Rebecca Ratcliffe, 29, of Highfield Road, Blackburn, rang for a taxi from Cavalier Taxis in Burnley.
When the driver picked them up on the afternoon of Monday, May 8, he asked for the fare upfront as he was unsure if the couple were going to pay, Burnley Crown Court heard.
After the driver asked the couple for the fare, Hennessey, who was sitting behind the driver's seat, put his hand around the driver's neck and threatened him with a kitchen knife measuring around three inches long.
Full story here: Burnley couple assaulted and robbed driver at knife point
Haslingden woman stabbed cousin 27 times in frenzied attack
A woman stabbed her cousin 27 times during a “frenzied attack” following a family argument.
Michelle Halstead, 34, inflicted the stab wounds on her male cousin while he was pinning her partner to the floor in their kitchen.
It was said Halstead had panicked and was fearing for her partner’s safety, thus picked up a sharp object from the side in the kitchen and inflicted the wounds.
Prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, Robert Elias said the victim arrived at Halstead’s address in his car on October 14, 2022, following a phone call between him and Halstead’s partner.
Full story here: Haslingden woman stabbed cousin 27 times in frenzied attack
Mohammed Ali Khan jailed for life for murdering David Read
A drug dealer who murdered a vulnerable man by inflicting more than 100 injuries on him with a pair of scissors and a hammer has been jailed for life.
On Monday December 18, Mohammed Ali Khan, was found guilty of killing 50-year-old David Read in Blackburn.
Khan, 35, of Preston New Road, was charged with the murder of Mr Read which took place at his Leamington Road home on June 6.
And on Wednesday December 20, he was jailed for life, with a minimum of 22 years, at Preston Crown Court by Judge Graham Knowles KC.
Full story here: Mohammed Ali Khan jailed for life for murdering David Read
Colne fraudster made £1.8m selling counterfeiter poster
A fraudster from Colne made more than £1.8million by creating counterfeit posters and has been handed Trading Standards’ “longest ever prison sentence”.
Adam Jeffreys, formerly of Hainslack Farm in Skipton Old Road, was jailed on December 19 for making and selling counterfeit posters, following action by Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards Service.
The 41-year-old was sentenced at Preston Crown Court for offences of infringing copyright and registered trademarks and fraudulent trading between 2014 and 2021.
Full story here: Colne fraudster made £1.8m selling counterfeiter poster
Prolific Burnley burglar told 'the courts are sick of you'
A judge told a prolific burglar the courts are “sick of you” after committing yet another offence.
Steven Hargreaves, 42, appeared at Preston Crown Court for one offence of burglary committed at the B&M store in Burnley last month.
In the early hours of November 8, at around 3.45am, Hargreaves forced entry to the store and stole smart watches up to the value of £105.
His defence barrister, Holly Nelson, said he was in the “throws of addiction” at the time of the offence and though he did not intend to cause the significant damage during the break-in, he “must of course accept it was caused.”
Full story here: Prolific Burnley burglar told 'the courts are sick of you'
Scheming East Lancs couple defrauded man of his life savings
A scheming couple defrauded a man out of his life savings which he had set aside to be used as inheritance for his children.
Sam Pilkington, 31, and Neringa Kievisaite, 42, took more than £50,000 from David Marsden through various fraudulent transactions between May 1, 2018, and May 30, 2019.
Pilkington and Kievisaite were in a relationship at the time but are no longer together.
Mr Marsden, who had £56,875.50 taken from him, said he had not been left “destitute,” but it had “wiped out the majority of the money set aside as inheritance for my children.”
Full story here: Scheming East Lancs couple defrauded man of his life savings
Nelson man threatened family with knife after drink and drug binge
A man who admitted he had drunk a large amount of vodka and taken cocaine threatened members of his family with a knife.
Zohaib Khan, 25, also threatened to destroy property at one of the family homes in Nelson on September 11.
Khan and other members of the family had got into dispute over the delivery of an Amazon parcel, and Khan, having consumed the alcohol and drugs, armed himself with a knife and forced his way into the house.
He made threats and said he would ‘get men round to smash up the house’.
Full story here: Nelson man threatened family with knife after drink and drug binge
Christian Niven refused to leave prison cell for sentence
A judge said there is “absolutely no realistic prospect of rehabilitation” for a prolific offender, after he refused to leave his prison cell to attend his sentence hearing.
Christian Niven was due to appear at Preston Crown Court on Friday December 22 to be sentenced for criminal damage, affray, possession of a bladed article in a public place and assault of an emergency worker, but refused to leave his prison cell.
Niven, who has 26 convictions for 55 offences has also refused to co-operate with the probation service over the last few months, with Judge Richard Archer saying that only an immediate custodial sentence would be appropriate.
Full story here: Christian Niven refused to leave prison cell for sentence
Prolific Colne burglar caught out by DNA left at scene
A man who broke into a hairdressers and stole more than £1,000 worth of equipment was caught by police after he left his DNA at the scene.
Repeat offender, Dion Lucas, who was on prison licence at the time, broke into the Hair Studio in Albert Road, Colne, by launching a concrete slab through the window, Preston Crown Court heard.
The court was told how the salon owner had been alerted by a colleague to a break-in on November 1.
Full story here: Prolific Colne burglar caught out by DNA left at scene
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