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English Defence League

Seaham pair plead guilty to cruel abuse and death of stolen pet rabbit

By
October 6, 2014
EDL, English Defence League

Drunken friends who got naked in a bath with a stolen pet rabbit, tried to shave her then threw her out of a window before wringing her neck

Frank Hudson, 19 and Martin Bell, 20, leave Peterlee magistrates court with a family member after sentencing

Frank Hudson, 19 and Martin Bell, 20, leave Peterlee magistrates court with a family member after sentencing

Drunken friends got naked in a bath with a stolen pet rabbit, tried to shave her then threw her out of a window before wringing her neck.

Percy, a much-loved white lion-headed rabbit had recently given birth to five babies when she was taken from her hutch, carried to a party in Seaham, County Durham, and then cruelly abused by Martin Bell, 20, Frank Hudson, 19 and two 17-year-olds who cannot be identified.

The baby rabbits died despite the efforts of their owners to rear them by hand because they could not survive without their mother.

Peterlee Magistrates’ Court heard how Bell and Hudson admitted causing unnecessary suffering to the pet.

Both men were given 18-month community orders, with 18 months of supervision, and 200 hours of unpaid work each.

They were both banned from keeping animals for five years, ordered to pay £85 costs each and £50 each in compensation.

Chairman of the Bench William Brown said: “What we have had described to us is quite a horrendous event.”

Newcastle Chronicle

The EDL Criminal here is Martin Bell who is a member of the Seaham EDL group.

MB

You can read more about the story here

UK soldier Ryan McGee admits making nail bomb

By
October 3, 2014
EDL, English Defence League

A serving soldier from Manchester charged with a terror offence has admitted making a nail bomb.

Ryan McGee, 19, was serving with the 5th Battalion The Rifles when he was detained in December at an Army base in Germany after the discovery of a suspicious device at a Salford house.

He also admitted a separate charge at the Old Bailey of possessing a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook on bombs

McGee, of Mellor Street, Eccles, was bailed ahead of sentencing in November.

The Anarchist Cookbook includes instructions for the manufacture of explosives as well as for home-manufacturing of drugs.

McGee admitted possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terror and making explosives contrary to the Explosives Substance Act by making an Improvised Explosive Device.\

BBC News

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EDL thugs in ‘grotesque violence’

By
September 29, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence

English Defence League supporters became involved in ‘grotesque violence’ as they tried to get into a pub on their way back from a rally, a court heard.

The clash between EDL supporters from Rugeley and Tamworth and drinkers at the pub in Nuneaton led to six men being sentenced at Warwick Crown Court for their parts in the disorder.

But because of the long delay in the police getting the case to court following the incident in February 2011, all six were handed suspended prison sentences.

Christopher Tully, John Horton, Neil Grant and Daniel Edkins were all sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months after pleading guilty to violent disorder.

Tully, 26, of Cadogan Road, Dosthill, Tamworth, was also ordered to do 130 hours of unpaid work and to pay £300 costs.

Horton, 44, of Johnson Close, Rugeley, whose health problems make him unfit for unpaid work, was made subject to a 4pm to 3am electronically-tagged curfew for three months.

Grant, 45, of Stoneleigh Court, Coton Road, Nuneaton, was ordered to do 120 hours work and pay £300 costs, and Edkins, 31, of Marston Lane, Nuneaton, to do 110 hours and to pay £100 costs.

Stephen Ginnelly, 52, of Franklin Court, Nuneaton, who had also admitted violent disorder, and Douglas Tully, 25, of Cadogan Road, Dosthill, who had pleaded guilty to affray, were both sentenced to six months suspended for 12 months. They were both ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid work, with Ginnelly having to pay £100 costs and Douglas Tully £200.

A seventh man, Ross Gilbert, 27, of William Morris Close, Rugeley, who had admitted violent disorder, failed to turn up at the court, and his case was adjourned.

Prosecutor Jason Pegg said: “The disorder involved two groups. Both Tullys, together with Horton and Gilbert were part of the EDL group; and the second group was the other three defendants who were enjoying an evening in a pub in Nuneaton, the George Eliot in Bridge Street.

“The EDL group had been to Luton to an EDL demonstration. They got off the train and went into Nuneaton town centre. They bought some fish and chips and made their way to the George.”

CCTV coverage showed that on the way Christopher Tully put on gloves and a ski mask with the cross of St George on it.

When they reached the George Eliot at about 7.15pm people at the pub stood in the doorway to prevent them getting in.

Sentencing the men, Judge Griffith-Jones told them: “I don’t know if any of you thought you were being hard or impressive, you just looked truly pathetic.

“But the most important point in mitigation in this case is the fact that we are now in September 2014, and these events took place in February 2011.

“If I had been dealing with the case in any sort of reasonable period of time, it would have been my duty to set a sentence which would act as a deterrence to drunken thugs fighting in this way – but after three-and-a-half years such a sentence would not be just.”

Express & Star

Laughing Gateshead newsagent raider Liam Smith is jailed for three years

By
September 20, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

Liam Smith openly laughed as the court heard how his victim had been left traumatised after his attempted robbery of a Gateshead newsagent

Liam Smith who has been jailed for three years

Liam Smith who has been jailed for three years

A raider who laughed on hearing how he left his victim traumatised has been jailed.

Liam Smith smirked and openly laughed when a court was told how his attempted robbery at a Gateshead newsagent’s had left the lone female worker having nightmares and living in fear.

Shirtless Smith, 21, burst into Martin’s newsagent in Oakfield Road, Whickham, knocking over a lottery stand before walking behind the counter and pushing his hand into the face of terrified worker Lisa Thirkell.

The raider then screamed at Ms Thirkell “give me the money; get the cash out; get the till open”.

The attempted robbery was only stopped when a customer came in the shop, realised what was happening and shouted “get off her” before wrestling Smith to the ground.

Smith, of Hyde Park Street, Gateshead, pleased guilty to attempted robbery last month.

Mark Guiliani, prosecuting, read out a victim statement from Ms Thirkell. In it she said: “He grabbed me, I feared he was going to seriously assault me.

“To the defendant I say ‘why me, why me, why anyone?’ What gave him the right to treat me as his enemy?

“The job has been difficult and I still shudder every time the door chimes. I hate thinking everyone is like him.

“The incident has not only affected my work but it has been detrimental to me. I have trouble sleeping, nightmares and I’ve been to my GP.”

When Mr Guiliani finished reading the statement, Judge James Goss QC immediately raised concerns about Smith’s laughing.

He said: “At various points when the statement was being read out, the defendant either smiled or laughed at the effect of this offence on his victim.”

The laughing caused the judge to reject any claims Smith was sorry for his actions, jailing him for three years.

The judge added: “You do not smile repeatedly and laugh at times when the effect of the victim was being described to this court if you were genuinely remorseful.”

Defending Michael Hodson said his client’s laughter was down to adolescent bravado and the offence had been unplanned and the result of heavy drinking.

Following the case, Ms Thirkell said: “I’m just glad it’s all over now.”


Newcastle Chronicle

From his Facebook account.

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Sunderland arsonist who torched ferry on way from North Shields to Amsterdam is jailed for 11 years

By
September 19, 2014
assault, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, threatening behaviour

Passengers had to be airlifted to safety as smoke filled the ferry’s corridors when Boden Hughes torched his cabin while smoking cannabis

Arsonist Boden Hughes has been jailed for 11 years after setting a North Sea ferry on fire while smoking cannabis in his cabin.

Hughes was so drunk he could barely walk or talk as he travelled to Amsterdam with friends aboard a DFDS ferry.

After being ejected from the ship’s casino for being too intoxicated, he went back to cabin number 568 alone and, as he tried to light a cannabis bong, the room went up in flames.

Damage caused by fire started on DFDS ferry by Boden Hughes

Damage caused by fire started on DFDS ferry by Boden Hughes

The crew were unable to bring the blaze under control using fire extinguishers and only the ship’s sprinkler system managed to douse the fire.

Many of the 946 passengers on board, including children and a pregnant woman, began to panic as smoke filled the narrow corridors of the ship.

A total of 27 people needed medical treatment for smoke inhalation while six passengers, including the pregnant woman, had to be winched to safety by a helicopter.

The drama unfolded around 25 miles out to sea aboard the King Seaways ferry, on December 28 last year.

As Hughes was jailed for that and a separate offence of stealing railway cable, it emerged the fire had left DFDS £800,000 out of pocket.

Judge James Goss QC, at Newcastle Crown Court, told him: “Passengers had to be evacuated from their cabins and there was panic and children were screaming.

“The fire caused enormous danger and panic and the total cost of the fire was £800,000.

“It was a spectacular piece of recklessness committed by a drunk man on bail at the time and the consequences could have been disastrous.

“Fires on a ship are even more serious than those on land because escape routes are limited and the stability of the vessel can be affected by the water used to put it out.”

The court heard Hughes, his girlfriend and others made a last minute decision to travel to Holland between last Christmas and New Year.

They took a bottle of vodka and drank that and other alcohol on board the ship after departing from North Shields.

Hughes then went off on his own for an hour, visiting the casino and consuming more drink.

Around 10pm he was trying to get back into his cabin but went to the wrong room. A member of security spotted him walking in a “zig zag fashion” and helped him back to his cabin.

Prosecutor Ian Lawrie QC said: “It was not easy to get him to the cabin, he had to keep steadying himself against the deck and walls.

“Eventually they got him in the cabin and it was within one minute or so that the fire alarm was activated on the main bridge.

“The response crew were asked to go to the deck and they found the corridor full of smoke.

“People were yelling and pushing each other in anticipation of the evacuation. One witness tells how she had to be winched into a helicopter while pregnant.”

Half-naked Hughes was partially out of his cabin and sprawled on the floor. When security picked him up he became aggressive and refused to do as he was told.

He was taken to another deck, where he then started fighting with James Curry, a friend of his.

In front of other, already terrified passengers, including children, the bare-chested pair started hitting each other and Curry also hit a member of security.

The pair were eventually detained and thrown in the ship’s cells as the captain aborted the trip and headed back to Tyneside.

The court heard DFDS had to pay £80,000 for repairs, £30,000 deviation costs, £25,000 medical evacuation costs, £475,000 for passenger liabilities, lost £170,000 in revenue and had to pay £25,000 legal costs.

Hughes, 27, of Fulwell Road, Sunderland, admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered and affray for the fight with Curry. He got nine years for that plus two years for stealing copper cable from the rail network along with others.

Curry, 29, of Calshott Road, Sunderland, admitted assaulting a crew member during the fracas, threatening behaviour and the copper cable theft. He got three years and three months prison.

Christopher Morrison, for Hughes, said: “The person most at risk from this act of errant stupidity was the defendant.

“He wants to say he is extremely sorry, especially to those who had to be airlifted.”

Jane Foley, for Curry, said: “He became involved in a fight because of Hughes’ involvement with the incident which led to the fire.”

Newcastle Chronicle

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Lowerhouses man in court accused of stealing fuel from petrol stations

By
September 17, 2014
EDL, English Defence League

A MAN accused of stealing fuel from several petrol stations faces trial.

Conrad Ayscough, of Hall Cross Road, Lowerhouses, was before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.

He faces four charges of making off without payment between February 4 and 23.

The 46-year-old is alleged to have stolen petrol from Birchencliffe Service Station as well as from service stations in Lockwood Road, Lockwood, and Wade Street and Salterhebble Hill, both in Halifax.

Ayscough denies the charges together with an additional charge of driving whilst disqualified.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a small quantity of class B drug amphetamine on February 23.

Magistrates told him that he faces trial at the Huddersfield court on July 2.

Ayscough was granted unconditional bail.

Huddersfield Examiner

Man, 38, sent to jail

By
September 17, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

A MAN with 22 previous convictions for driving while disqualified during a 25-year period of offending gave a false name when he was stopped by Whitehaven police.

Conrad Ayscough admitted driving while banned and was sent to prison for five months by Whitehaven magistrates. He also admitted giving a false name to obstruct police and driving without insurance.

Ayscough, 38, of Boothtarn, Halifax, was driving on Inkerman Terrace when he was pulled over by police, near the Marchon Social Club.

He gave the name John Edwards and was arrested on suspicion of taking a vehicle without consent. Subsequent enquiries revealed he was a banned driver, with his disqualification due to run until June 2007. He had previously served a term of imprisonment for driving while banned/drink driving, the court heard, and a warrant for his arrest was outstanding from Bradford Crown Court in relation to an alleged theft.

Whitehaven News

Conrad Ayscough also appears on the site here and here

conrad

Prolific offender Conrad Ayscough jailed for 20 months

By
September 17, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

Huddersfield man Conrad Ayscough was said to have pressured a vulnerable woman into lending him her Peugeot car for a couple of days last June, but instead of returning it he scrapped the vehicle without her knowledge

A prolific criminal with convictions for more than 180 offences has been jailed for 20 months after committing another series of crimes in West Yorkshire.

Huddersfield man Conrad Ayscough was said to have pressured a vulnerable woman into lending him her Peugeot car for a couple of days last June, but instead of returning it he scrapped the vehicle without her knowledge.

Ayscough, who had more than 20 convictions for driving while disqualified, later handled a stolen BMW car and made off in the vehicle on two occasions without paying for petrol.

The 47-year-old admitted theft of the Peugeot and handling the BMW as well as two offences of making off without payment, three offences of driving while disqualified and three allegations of driving without insurance.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday that Ayscough was arrested in August after being spotted behind the wheel of a Ford Focus.

In a victim impact statement the woman who owned the Peugeot described how she had difficulty walking too far because of medical condition and she had suffered a lost her independence when the car was taken.

She later told police that it had cost her £1000 to replace the car.

Ayscough’s lawyer Anne-Marie Hutton told the court that her client had been committing the offences at the time when he was acquainted with a woman in Sheffield.

Miss Hutton told Judge John Potter that her client had been in custody since his arrest in August, but if he was given his liberty he did have an offer of accommodation close to his home environment in Huddersfield.

She said his parents were elderly and Ayscough helped to look after his brother.

But Judge Potter described Ayscough’s record of offending as dreadful and said his crimes were self-centred and selfish.

In addition to jailing Ayscough Judge Potter also banned him from driving again for two years.

Huddersfield Examiner

Conrad Ayscough also appears in the website here and here

conrad

Huddersfield Town and Millwall fans jailed over brawl

By
September 17, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

Eight rival football supporters have been jailed for their part in a violent brawl which erupted before a match between Huddersfield Town and Millwall.

Bradford Crown Court heard Huddersfield supporters started the trouble last April by throwing bottles and ashtrays at mini buses carrying Millwall fans.

Six Huddersfield fans and two Millwall fans have been jailed for between 18 and nine months.

Twelve others were also given varying sentences for their part in the fight.

The trouble flared when the mini buses stopped outside the Waterloo pub on Wakefield Road, in Huddersfield, an hour before the match on 16 April.

The following Huddersfield supporters were given prison sentences after admitting violent disorder:

Leon Stephenson, 30, of Taylor Hill Road, Huddersfield, was jailed for 18 months and given a six-year football banning order.

Danny Melia, 26, of Close Lea, Brighouse, was jailed for 15 months.

Andrew Miller, 38, of Brackenhall Road, Huddersfield, was jailed for 18 months.

Three other Huddersfield fans were also jailed:

Craig Roberts, 26, of Elm Street, Huddersfield, was jailed for 18 months for violent disorder and possessing an offensive weapon.

Conrad Ayscough, 44, of Hurstwood, Huddersfield, was jailed for 15 months for violent disorder.

Jeremy McDonald, 44, of Gramfield Road, Huddersfield, was jailed for 12 months for violent disorder.

The two Millwall supporters jailed for violent disorder were:

Ojay Roynan, 31, of Granville Road, Kent, who was jailed for nine months and given a six-year football banning order.

Glen Sherman, 36, of Hawkins Way, Essex, was jailed for nine months and given a six-year football banning order.

The following people were also sentenced:

Gerard Bradshaw, 47, of Greenwood Street, Huddersfield, given a six-month suspended jail sentence for affray.

Lee Donaghue, 39, of Melrose Close, Huddersfield, given a nine-month suspended jail sentence for affray.

Nicholas Palfreeman, 42, of Edgware Road, Huddersfield, given a six-month suspended jail sentence for assisting an offender.

Jake Peel, 22, of Beaumont Street, Huddersfield, given a 12-month suspended jail sentence for affray.

Kieron Moore, 20, of Daw Royds, Huddersfield, given a nine-month suspended jail sentence for violent disorder.

Oliver Dyson, 20, of Benomley Road, Huddersfield, given a nine-month suspended jail sentence for violent disorder.

Andrew Hunt, 26, of Denholme Street, Rastrick, given a nine-month suspended jail sentence for affray.

Ryan McDougal, 32, of Marlow Gardens, London, given a nine-month suspended jail sentence and a four-year football banning order for violent disorder.

Paul Cremin, 36, of Dunblane Road, London, given a 12-month suspended jail sentence for violent disorder.

Darren Dunphy, 30, Granville Road, Kent, given a 10-month suspended jail sentence for violent disorder.

Dean Harrison, 35, of Kitto Road, London, given a 10-month suspended jail sentence for violent disorder.

BBC News

This story is from 2011 and relates to Conrad Ayscough who can also be found on this website here and here

Sunderland man admits drunken arson aboard North Sea ferry

By
September 9, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

A FIRE on a North Sea ferry which sparked a major rescue operation when it was carrying around 1,000 people was started by a drunk passenger who was smoking cannabis in a cabin, a court has heard.

Boden George Hughes, 26, admitted arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered, during a brief hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, where his trial had been due to start.

The fire on the DFDS Newcastle to Amsterdam service happened at around 11pm on December 28 when the vessel was 30 miles off the North Yorkshire coast.

Six people were winched off the ferry by the RAF and helicoptered to hospital.

Hughes, who also admitted affray, pleaded guilty to arson on the basis that he was drunk, was smoking cannabis in a bong, and the fire started when his lighter’s flame set a pile of clothes ablaze.

He had altered his lighter so it produced a constant flame, he claimed.

Judge James Goss, the Recorder of Newcastle, will sentence Hughes, of Fulwell Road, Sunderland, in September.

Hughes was remanded in custody and warned to expect a lengthy prison sentence.

Judge Goss said: “Be under no illusions as to the seriousness of the crimes you have admitted today.

“This (arson) was a very serious offence which will attract a substantial sentence of imprisonment.”

Ian Lawrie QC, prosecuting, said figures will be produced at the next hearing to show the losses incurred by DFDS after the fire.

He said the helicopter rescue alone cost £50,000.

Mr Lawrie said a reconstruction of the fire showed that a blaze in a cabin using the same combustible clothing took just two minutes to engulf the space.

Hughes was guilty of “spectacular recklessness”, he said.

He added: “He was clearly drunk, he was clearly also on drugs.”

After the terrifying experience of a fire and rescue operation miles out to sea, Hughes’s fellow passengers faced the frustration of returning to Newcastle.

Passengers hugged family members in relief at the ferry terminal when they were finally allowed off, with some vowing never to sail again.

Julie Bell and Shaun Richardson, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, were on a weekend away.

At the time she said: “It was like a scene from a movie, a chaotic mess, horrible.

“It was terrifying and I won’t be travelling by boat again. I think I will stay in the UK from now on, it’s a lot safer.”

The King Seaways vessel was carrying 946 people at the time, plus crew.

RAF helicopters from Leconfield near Hull and Boulmer, Northumberland, were scrambled to the vessel along with RNLI lifeboats from Bridlington and Filey.

As he was led away, Hughes, dressed in a grey sweatshirt for the hearing, said: “Thank you, Your Honour.”

Sunderland Echo

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