Plenty of criminals were put behind bars in the first month of the new year.
From drunk pregnant women and former footballers, to thugs, perverts and dangerous drivers, crown court judges in Lancashire dished out a healthy share of custodial sentences to those who broke the law.
Here, we bring you our round up of all the East Lancashire lags jailed in January 2024:
Drunk and pregnant woman stole then crashed car in Burnley
A drunk, pregnant woman burgled a man in his 70s, stole his car and then threatened an off duty police officer during a crime rampage last Spring.
Burnley Crown Court heard how Donna Keys, 35, had knocked on her victim's door in Briercliffe Road on Saturday, April 8.
The victim, Douglas Rose, 76, lives alone after his wife moved into a care home many years ago.
At 6pm, Keys, of Kime Street, Burnley, had asked him: "Where is she?" to which he told her his wife was in care and he now lived alone.
Full story here: Drunk and pregnant woman stole then crashed car in Burnley
Former Man Utd player jailed over Darwen drugs operation
A former professional footballer, who at one time played at Manchester United, has been jailed for his part in a major amphetamine and cannabis operation, which last year saw 17 people banged up for more than 50 years.
Mark Redshaw, 39, who was a youth player at the Red Devils and also played for Wrexham and Manchester City as a junior, went on the run after the Darwen based drug gang was busted by police in 2021, but he was finally apprehended last year.
The group, which was headed by Sam Stone and Zac Deaffern, was responsible for the importation of millions of pounds of drugs from mainland Europe, which were then cut and sold-on from their Hollins Grove Mill headquarters.
Full story here: Former Man Utd player jailed over Darwen drugs operation
Thug breached order by attacking man in Blackburn pub
A drunk, angry thug with more than 100 offences for battery and assault to his name, breached a violent offender order which prohibited him from entering any pub, bar, or club in Blackburn town centre.
During the breach, which saw James Butterworth enter Bar Ibiza in Mincing Lane, Preston Crown Court heard he assaulted his then partner’s nephew, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and pushing him.
Butterworth, 41, was handed the five-year violent offender order in 2020 following multiple incidents of drunken fighting, assaults and violence in Blackburn.
Full story here: Thug breached order by attacking man in Blackburn pub
Blackburn pervert caught talking to 'girls' online
An “isolated” man who lives “a sad and pathetic life” and has a sordid interest in young girls was snared by paedophile hunters who were posing as teenagers online.
David Moran thought he was talking to girls as young as 13 and 14, named ‘Molly Jackson’ and ‘Mia Strummer’, and a ’12-year-old’ called ‘Poppy’ during online conversations in September 2022, Preston Crown Court heard.
He was arrested for these offences on September 18, 2022, when the group of online activists attended his home address in Accrington Road, Blackburn, to confront him and then contacted the police.
Full story here: Blackburn pervert caught talking to 'girls' online
Drunk Accrington thug assaulted partner and urinated in her bed
A drunk thug who had “taken some smack” urinated in his partner’s bed and spat on her floor, before launching into a vile assault in which he kicked, punched and stamped on her.
When police arrived, Adam Barrass put one of the officers in a headlock and threatened to throw them out of the window, Preston Crown Court heard.
Barrass, 31, had been in a relationship with his victim for only a few months, and on December 9, 2023, they went drinking together before returning to the woman’s address in Accrington.
Full story here: Drunk Accrington thug assaulted partner and urinated in her bed
Blackburn thug brandished meat cleaver towards man
A thug brandished a meat cleaver towards another man while holding a bottle of vodka, but retreated when his potential victim took his t-shirt off and ran towards him.
Neil Garratty approached a group of people outside the Salvation Army hostel in Heaton Street, Blackburn, and waved the weapon towards them, specifically targeting Andrew McDermott.
Garratty, 37, said he and McDermott had an argument earlier in the day on June 12 and he had returned after finding the meat cleaver on a wall.
Full story here: Blackburn thug brandished meat cleaver towards man
Burnley sex offender had more than 800 indecent images
A prolific sex offender breached his sexual harm prevention order by uploading indecent images to the internet via Snapchat and was found to have more than 800 indecent images of children.
Joshua Newton, 25, was given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) in 2017 along with a community order. He was then given a 13-month custodial sentence and had a 15-year SHPO in February 22 for breaching that order.
On April 22, 2023, after his release, Newton’s offender manager DC Harrison received information that Newton had uploaded indecent images via Snapchat.
Full story: Burnley sex offender had more than 800 indecent images
Accrington street racer endangered others 'for a laugh'
An “arrogant” street racer put other road users at risk “for a laugh” as he sped around roads in Accrington and Blackburn.
Umar Gul, 24, was sentenced for five counts of dangerous driving at Preston Crown Court on Thursday (January 11).
The court heard how Gul’s racing antics were a “misguided attempt to become an influencer of some sort”, and Judge Darren Preston said he was “attempting to influence others to show them how big and clever you were.”
Full story here: Accrington street racer endangered others 'for a laugh'
Cannabis addict plied Darwen teen with cocaine and alcohol
A 56-year-old cannabis addict who was high on cocaine and alcohol lured a 16-year-old girl back to his campervan after plying her with drink and drugs, before sexually assaulting her.
Neville Chapman, now 60, committed the terrifying crimes in Darwen in September 2019.
He was finally found guilty of assault by penetration following a trial in June 2023, which had been delayed multiple times, and was granted conditional bail by Judge Graham Knowles KC to appear for his sentence hearing in August.
However, Chapman, previously of Bridgefield Close, Rishton, failed to appear for his sentence hearing, which placed him in breach of bail, and instead, went on the run for almost four weeks.
Preston Crown Court heard his disappearance sparked a major manhunt by Lancashire Police, in which underwater search and rescue teams were deployed, and thousands of pounds spent on a campaign to find him.
Full story here: Cannabis addict plied Darwen teen with cocaine and alcohol
Darwen dealer abused girls in hotels after drugging them
A dealer drugged teenage girls with ketamine and cocaine before taking them to hotels and houses and sexually assaulting them.
In March last year reports were made to the police of three separate incidents where girls were given drugs such as nitrous oxide, ketamine, and cocaine by defendant, Azam Khan.
The girls were then taken to hotels and houses in the Chorley and Darwen areas, where they were sexually abused.
Police launched an investigation and teamed-up with Lancashire County Council’s social workers to support the victims, who were then interviewed by specially-trained officers.
Full story here: Darwen dealer abused girls in hotels after drugging them
Barnoldswick man killed celebrated motorycyclist with dangerous U-turn
A man was killed by a careless driver who performed a dangerous U-turn and forgot to turn his windscreen wipers on.
Preston Crown Court heard that Mark Butterworth, 78, was riding his motorcycle under the speed limit on Saturday, June 25, 2022.
At around 3pm, Antony Whitaker, 78, of Richmond Road, Barnoldswick, parked his Volkswagen Touran in an entrance on the A588 Shard Road near to Shard Bridge in Hambleton.
After birdwatching for approximately 45 minutes, he pulled back out onto the road. It began to rain, and Whitaker failed to turn on his windscreen wipers.
Full story here: Barnoldswick man killed celebrated motorycyclist with dangerous U-turn
Five Blackburn men sentenced over 'insider benefits fraud'
Five men who stole more than £80,000 from the Department of Work and Pensions in an "insider" benefits fraud have received a total of more than nine years in prison.
The men created false payments and invented fictitious children as part of the scam, with one victim taking his own life after the fraud.
Preston Crown Court heard Hamid Munshi, 31, of Foxhouse Street, Blackburn, was employed by the DWP from April 30 to December 11, 2018.
Munshi pleaded guilty to committing fraud when occupying a position, namely an administrative officer employed by the DWP, when he diverted genuine Employment Support Allowance customer payments and created false payments for himself.
Full story here: Five Blackburn men sentenced over 'insider benefits fraud'
Accrington rapist subjected victim to vicious attack
A violent rapist who subjected a woman to a prolonged sexual assault after he lured her back to his flat has been jailed.
Peter Winters was described as "cruel" and a "savage" by a judge as he was sentenced on Friday, with the court hearing how he had mercilessly assaulted the victim and told her he would make her dig her own grave in the woods.
Burnley Crown Court heard the opening and mitigation into the case of Winters, 20, last Friday (January 19), however sentencing was adjourned by a week due to time constraints and, as described by Judge Daniel Prowse, the “serious and complex nature of sentencing.”
Full story here: Accrington rapist subjected victim to vicious attack
Albanians tended to cannabis farm in old Burnley shop
Three foreign nationals will be deported after they were found to be tending to a cannabis farm in Burnley.
Sabian Hasaj, 22, Adrian Paluca, 25, and Nikoll Kaza, 23, were found huddled together in the cellar of the property where they had been tasked to look after the cannabis plants.
Preston Crown Court heard the three men had entered the UK illegally, and to repay the debt owed to the criminal group that got them into the country they were placed in the property and told to look after the plants as gardeners.
Full story here: Albanians tended to cannabis farm in old Burnley shop
Blackburn dealer hid heroin and cocaine behind bath panel
A ‘foolish’ drug dealer hid bags of heroin and cocaine behind the bath panel in his family home.
Kaseem Fareed, 19, was hiding the drugs for dealers further up the supply chain due to a debt he had with them, with this being his way of paying them back.
Following a search of Fareed’s home in Blackburn, officers found the drugs and related paraphernalia in the bathroom, as well as a small quantity of cannabis in his bedroom.
Adam White, prosecuting, said officers executed a search at Fareed’s home and found cannabis and a red iPhone in his bedroom.
Full story here: Blackburn dealer hid heroin and cocaine behind bath panel
Man jailed after cannabis grow discovered
A man used a “sophisticated set-up” to cultivate cannabis that was valued at £56,000.
Canh Phan, 28, was involved in the production of a “significant quantity” of cannabis.
The growth was discovered at a house in Blackburn on June 30 and the 291 plants that were seized weighed more than 5kg.
Upon his arrest, Phan made a no comment interview.
Full story here: Man jailed after cannabis grow discovered
Whitworth man sentenced over gun and ammunition plot
A 33-year-old from Whitworth is one of three people who have been sentenced for possessing a gun and ammunition.
Jordan Proctor, along with Joshua Gibbons, 28, and Tyler Gibbons, 22, men were sentenced to a total of 25 years in jail today (Tuesday, January 23).
On Wednesday, June 15, 2022, police in Stockport recovered a loaded revolver style handgun and ammunition hidden in a cupboard at an address in Edgeley, Stockport.
The trio were all forensically linked to the weapon, and an investigation was launched by the Stockport Challenger team to understand how this firearm had ended up in the town, in their hands.
Full story here: Whitworth man sentenced over gun and ammunition plot
Blackburn man described as 'menace' on the roads jailed
A man who repeatedly drove while over the alcohol limit and while disqualified was told he was a “menace” on the roads.
Blackburn magistrates heard Anthony Monaghan faced two sets of driving offences committed just a month apart.
Jailing him for 18 weeks District Judge Alexandra Preston said he had an “appalling” record for similar offences.
“Quite frankly you are a menace to the public,” said District Judge Preston
"My fear is that one day you will cause serious injury or even death if you continue to commit this kind of offence.”
Full story here: Blackburn man described as 'menace' on the roads jailed
Prolific Burnley shoplifter jailed after punching shopkeeper
A man who turned on a shop assistant who tried to stop him stealing has been jailed.
Blackburn Magistrates' Court heard Anthony Herdman pushed the shop worker before punching him on the jaw.
He then went out of the store, took off his shirt and challenged him to come outside and fight.
Jailing Herdman for 18 weeks, District Judge Alexandra Preston said she viewed the assault on the shop assistant very seriously.
Full story here: Prolific Burnley shoplifter jailed after punching shopkeeper
Darwen paedophile breaches sexual harm prevention order
A convicted paedophile from Darwen has been back in court after admitting to breaching his sexual harm prevention order by having unregistered electronic devices.
Alan Oakshott, 53, of Blackburn Road, Darwen, appeared at Preston Crown Court after pleading guilty to the breach.
The court heard how Oakshott had the SHPO imposed on him after previous convictions for child sex offences.
The first came in 2018 when he was caught by a vigilante paedophile hunter group sending sexually explicit messages to accounts he thought belonged to girls aged between 12 and 14.
Full story here: Darwen paedophile breaches sexual harm prevention order
Blackburn thief caused damage and stole items totalling £16k
A thief caused more than £16,000 of damage by breaking into vehicles around Blackburn and stealing items from inside them.
Peter McDonagh, 44, persistently found his way into the vehicles, mainly work vans, in order to steal items to fund his drug habit.
McDonagh’s crimes totalled around £16,000 lost through damage to the vehicles and the value of the items that were lost.
Prosecuting at Preston Crown Court, Ben Stanley said the first incident happened on June 28, 2023, when a Mr Jefferson left his car parked in Brindle Street.
Full story here: Blackburn thief caused damage and stole items totalling £16k
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