Revealed: Cameron Ward killer driver was street drug dealer

By
July 24, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

Wayne Payne who fatally injured five-year-old in accident receives fresh three-year prison sentence for possessing cocaine with intent to supply

WP

A killer driver who fatally injured a boy of five peddled drugs after being bailed over the tragedy.

Wayne Payne – already serving a five-year jail term for knocking down tragic Cameron Ward – received a fresh three-year prison sentence for possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

The 31-year-old sparked outrage when he callously told Cameron’s family: “S**t happens, life goes on” as he left Birmingham Crown Court after a previous hearing.

A judge who sentenced Payne for the drug offence condemned him as a common street dealer.

Recorder Kevin Hegarty told him: “Society takes a dim view of people dealing in class A drugs.”

Phillip Beardwell, prosecuting, told Birmingham Crown Court that police found almost five grammes of cocaine in a bag hidden inside a cooker at Payne’s home in Mount View, Sutton Coldfield, on October 4 last year.

Officers also recovered two bags of cutting agents from a kitchen worktop, along with a set of electronic scales and £380 stashed under a rug.

The judge said Payne, a self-employed car recovery driver with previous convictions for drugs offences, committed the offence after being bailed in connection with Cameron’s death.

Payne told the court he had used drugs for eight years and claimed he added a cutting agent to the cocaine to make it last longer.

Lewis Perry, defending, said there was no evidence of large-scale commercial dealing.

The three-year term will run consecutively to the five-year sentence imposed on Payne last month after he was found guilty of causing Cameron’s death by dangerous driving.

A jury took just 45 minutes to convict him of the motoring offence.

Jurors heard Payne was doing double the speed limit when his Vauxhall Vectra hit Cameron in Court Lane, Erdington, on April 1 last year.

The schoolboy’s dad John Ward was wheeling the Paget Primary pupil along on a pushbike ahead of mum Katie Lawrence and baby sister Ruby, who was just four-weeks-old at the time.

The trial heard Payne, who was also banned from driving for five years, was travelling at 61mph in a 30mph zone and he had not braked before the collision.

Birmingham Mail

These are screengrabs from Payne’s Facebook account.

WP 1

WP 2

The article about the speeding conviction can be found here.

Courageous bus passenger praised for speaking out against ‘racist rant’

By
July 24, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction

A BRAVE bus passenger who challenged a woman’s drunken, racist rant was attacked and spat on, Newbury magistrates have been told.

Afterwards, fellow Thatcham travellers praised victim Christine Dare’s courageous stand. Miss Dare later told police: “I had to act. It was too much to ignore.”

In the dock on Thursday, July 10, was 35-year-old Tara Elaine King, of Fallows Road, Padworth.

Helen Waite, prosecuting, said Ms King was talking to the bus driver in Thatcham, loudly praising the English Defence League, making racist comments and swearing.
Several passengers were incensed, said Ms Waite, “but it was Ms Dare who had the gumption to do something about it”.

Having vainly asked Ms King to keep her opinions to herself and moderate her language because there was a young child nearby, Ms Dare approached the driver and asked him to act, magistrates were told.

But, said Ms Waite, the driver told her to sit down – and when she did, Ms King approached, leaned over and spat on her.

Ms Dare said later: “I was horrified by her actions. I pushed her away, but she was shouting and came at me again; there was a scuffle and I grabbed her hair.”
Ms Waite said: “Very unedifying CCTV footage shows them hanging on to each other’s heads. The defendant was on top of her in her seat. She grabbed Ms Dare’s face and scratched it.

“The bus pulled into a layby and a man came to Ms Dare’s assistance. Police were called and, as she was led away, she told Ms Dare: ‘Look at my face so I can remember you.’”

Passenger Jodie Conyard said she was offended by Ms King’s racist remarks about Muslims and another, John Young, said he was upset to hear a “drunken” Ms King make derogatory comments about black people.

Both praised Ms Dare and offered to give evidence on her behalf when Ms King initially denied assault by beating.

However she later changed her plea to guilty, while not accepting that she spat on Ms Dare.

Although Ms Waite said the Crown stood by its version of events, the court ruled there was no need for a Newton hearing – a mini trial to establish the facts – because the matter would not make a substantial difference to their sentence.
They therefore agreed to accept Ms King’s basis of plea.

She admitted causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, both at Bath Road, Thatcham, on November 2 last year. Her previous convictions include a racially-aggravated offence, the court heard.

Ben Henriques, defending, said his client suffers post traumatic stress disorder since losing a child 11 years ago.

He added: “There was a two-way struggle. It’s clear from the CCTV. She realises alcohol is a problem and, because she is six months pregnant, has been making strenuous efforts to overcome it.”

He said his client felt she had been provoked, and asked for pre-sentence reports.
Presiding magistrate Sue Campbell said: “This was a very distressing, offensive and unpleasant incident which took place in public.

There are many aggravating features… all options remain open, including custody.”
Ms King was bailed until July 31 while reports are prepared.

Newbury Today

Wrexham man: ‘I’m a racist and I kill muslims’

By
July 17, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction

A MAN entered a shop and told its Muslim owner “I’m a racist and I kill Muslims,” on the first anniversary of the death of soldier Lee Rigby.

Daniel Lee Lewis, of Church Street, Wrexham, entered the shop on Chester Street in Flint after midnight on May 23.

He asked the owner where he was from and if he was a Muslim.

The owner replied he was Turkish but had an English passport and told Lewis he was Muslim.

Lewis told the owner: “It’s alright, I won’t cause any trouble. It’s my country, I will do what I want. I’m a racist and I kill Muslims.”

He spat on the shop floor and invited the owner outside for a fight. But the police had been called and he was arrested.

The 32-year-old told police: “It’s one year today to the death of Lee Rigby, there will be thousands of us in Manchester on Saturday,” before chanting EDL [English Defence League] at them.

Appearing at Wrexham Magistrates Court yesterday, Lewis pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour with intent to cause racially aggravated fear of or provoke unlawful violence.

He also admitted failure to surrender to bail.

Sentencing, district judge Gwyn Jones said the fact Lewis was drunk did not condone using “offensive and appalling language”.

He said: “This was extremely upsetting behaviour. You gratuitously made offensive and racist comments to someone who was serving members of the public.

“It is clear you were very, very drunk but that does not justify using such offensive and appalling language. Taking that into account, it makes this a hate crime, serious enough for a community order and you will pay compensation for the pain you caused the victim.”

Lewis was given an 18 month community order, supervised by probation and the community mental health team.

He was ordered to undertake a 10 day ‘eradicating racism and promoting equality programme’, and pay £200 in compensation.

Victoria Lewis, defending, said Lewis had no recollection of the incident.

She added: “He isn’t a racist, does not hold these views and does not know where they came from. At the time he was influenced by alcohol and his mental health issues.

“His business went under last year and he suffered a nervous breakdown. It was a

one-off and he wants to get back on track.”

In addition he will also pay court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £60.”

Andrew Connah from the probation service said: “He accepts full responsibility but has no memory of the incident.

“He is ashamed, maintains he is not a racist and it upsets him to think he behaved like that.

“He had been drinking heavily, and accepts alcohol is an issue. He had suffered a nervous breakdown and has serious mental health issues. He was sectioned last year and has been signed off until 2016.”

North Wales News

EDL member gets ASBO over park clash

By
July 6, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed
Brian (Clint) Bristow

Brian (Clint) Bristow

An English Defence League member who become involved with a clash with Muslims in Hyde Park has been banned from attending future marches without notifying police in advance.

Brian Bristow, 38, of no fixed address, was one of three men who admitted threatening behaviour towards a man running a stall providing Islamic literature near Speakers’ Corner, in October last year.

The victim was verbally abused and had his possessions thrown around.

Earlier in the day, the men had attended an EDL rally outside the Israeli embassy in Kensington, which ended in a confrontation between EDL members and anti-fascist campaigners in Hyde Park.

At Woolwich Crown Court on August 3, Bristow was jailed for seven days and ordered to pay £400 costs and £10 compensation after admitting using threatening behaviour.

At the same court on Thursday, he was given a conviction-related ASBO (CRASBO) as part of his sentence.

The five-year CRASBO prohibits Bristow from attending any EDL march, demonstration or similar event in England and Wales without have notified a specified email account of Westminster police at least seven days before the event.

He must also not use words or behaviour which might cause harassment, alarm or distress, or be in possession of alcohol or controlled substances, in a public place on the day of a notified event.

In sentencing the men, the judge condemned the “thuggish behaviour” they had demonstrated.

Detective constable Andy Haworth said: “We have to strike a balance between people’s right to protest and the right of individuals to go about their daily business.

“However, we will not tolerate individuals using protest as a front for committing acts of violence and disorder, and hope the antisocial behaviour order will send a message to others.”

Hope not Hate

Blackburn yobs jailed after pushing lit firelighters through Mill Hill letterboxes

By
July 2, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

TWO ‘reckless yobs’ who pushed lit firelighters through the letterboxes of four homes have been jailed.

Simon Cockerill, 26, and Ethan Hesketh, 21, went on the arson spree in Mill Hill, Blackburn, as people were asleep.

Police said the pair, who committed the crimes while ‘fuelled with alcohol’, put lives at risk by their irresponsible behaviour.

They were each jailed for 18 months yesterday after pleading guilty to theft, committing arson recklessly and arson.

Four front doors in Hollin Bridge Street were torched in the early hours of June 23.

Cockerill, of Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors and Hesketh, of Hozier Street, Blackburn, were arrested after being captured on CCTV at Lock Mill Service Station, in Bolton Road, Blackburn, before they stole the firelighters used in the attacks.

Police said the arson attacks had been ‘potentially extremely serious’ and it was lucky that no-one had been hurt.

DC Mick Ingram from Blackburn CID said: “Both Cockerill and Hesketh didn’t think about the potential consequences of their actions. They put people’s lives in danger and it was fortunate that no one was seriously injured.

“It was a reckless and irresponsible act which was fuelled by alcohol and I hope this sentence sends out a warning that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.

“The fires could easily have developed into serious incidents and left people trapped in their homes.”

In Hollin Bridge Street residents hit out at the pair.

Jackie Mullin, 40, said: “They deserve what they got. I think they are sick, or maybe they are just idiots.”

Steven Holland, 40, said: “It is not a very nice thing. They put lives at risk.”

Samantha Brown, 37, said: “It could have caused serious harm. We’ve got to make an example of them.”

Police said that the unique nature of the incident was now used in internal training sessions by the fire service and police in Lancashire to highlight good working practices.

Lancashire Telegraph

This story is from Feb 2012 and relates to Ethan Hesketh who was also convicted of this

Racist graffiti man who sprayed ‘EDL’ on Blackburn properties walks free

By
July 2, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence, Uncategorized
Cars are cleaned up after the graffiti attacks last November, by Ethan Hesketh

Cars are cleaned up after the graffiti attacks last November, by Ethan Hesketh

A FATHER-of-one who sprayed racist graffiti in Blackburn has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Ethan Hesketh, 24, covered property in a predominantly Asian area of the town with the letters ‘EDL’ and other offensive language.

The court heard how the defendant, formerly of Blackburn, but now living in Derby Square, Preston, also damaged 11 cars and stonework in Shear Brow and a sign belonging to Abbeydale Vets.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of racially aggravated criminal damage and nine further counts of criminal damage.

Sentencing him to 35 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Stuart Baker, sitting at Preston Crown Court, said the damage would have caused the victims ‘annoyance and inconvenience’.

He told Hesketh: “You were motivated by some antipathy towards people who are not British.

“You have brought this on yourself.

“These are serious offences because you left so many victims no doubt feeling thoroughly annoyed.”

And the judge asked Hesketh, who claimed he had almost given up drinking alcohol since causing the damage, if he was trying to make a statement by wearing a T shirt with the slogan ‘Let’s Get Smashed’ in court.

Hesketh replied: “I was in a rush this morning.”

As well as the suspended sentence, Hesketh must go back to the court periodically to make sure he is making progress, must attend a thinking skills course and pay £350 prosecution costs.

He will also be electronically tagged with a curfew from 8pm to 6am.

Defending, Amanda Johnson said Hesketh now had a job and was involved in looking after his two-year-old daughter.

She said: “He has no desire at all to go back to Blackburn. He has severed entirely contact with his previous crowd.

“No doubt having now had a couple of months of abstinence from illegal substances and, to a large extent, alcohol, he looks back and can see what were the negative influences in his life.

“He acknowledges that these offences are serious and wishes me to convey his remorse to the court.”

Nicola Riley, of East Park Road, Blackburn, was also charged in connection with the graffiti. No evidence was offered in her case and not guilty verdicts were entered.

This is Lancashire

Heavy Newcastle drinker punched girlfriend in face – moments after revealing he wanted to dump her.

By
June 26, 2014
assault, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed

HEAVY drinker Kelvin Chell hit his partner in the face up to four times – moments after revealing he wanted to end their relationship.

The 36-year-old left Zoe Platt with bruised eyes and swelling to her forehead after she confronted him about their possible split.

Now Chell has been jailed for 25 weeks after admitting assaulting Miss Platt.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the couple had been together for three years.

But by August 24 last year their relationship was coming to an end.

Prosecutor Joanne Wallbanks said: “They were together at her flat. He told her he intended to leave. She took that badly. There was a physical confrontation. He struck her to her face three or four times and left.”

Chell, formerly of Carryer Place, Poolfields, Newcastle, answered no comment to questions in his police interview. But he later pleaded guilty to assault.

Jason Holt, mitigating, said both Chell and Miss Platt had a problem with alcohol at the time of the incident.

Mr Holt said: “The incident stemmed from his desire to leave the relationship.”

The court heard Chell now has a new partner and has significantly reduced the amount he drinks.

Mr Holt added: “He is in a settled relationship, and in a very settled job. He does not wish to have any further contact with the complainant.”

Mr Holt asked Judge Paul Glenn to avoid sending Chell to jail after arguing society would be better protected if he was given the chance to work with the probation service.

But the judge said the offence was so serious that the defendant had to be jailed.

Judge Glenn said: “You have a propensity for violence.

“Zoe Platt was your partner and you plainly both had difficulties with alcohol.

“You fell out on August 24 and you struck her a number of blows, you say no more than three or four. But they were obviously with some force because they caused significant bruising and swelling and she was left feeling shocked and scared.

“The problem with you seems to be when you are in drink, you can’t control your temper.

“You are a big man. To hit her three or four times and that seems to be unnecessary on any show.”

Stoke Sentinel

Party spat led to dog bone beating

By
June 26, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Uncategorized

A 30-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed for three years after beating his neighbour with a dog bone.

Kelvin Chell, currently of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to wounding Nicholas Brearley with intent to do him grievous bodily harm, on October 22.

Judge Paul Glenn, sitting at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday, jailed him for the attack, which left Mr Brearley needing 36 stitches and with permanent facial scars.

Prosecutor David Bennett told the court that Chell had been celebrating Mr Brearley’s birthday with him and others at Mr Brearley’s flat in Wedgwood Street, Wolstanton.

He said: “Shortly after 9.30pm, the defendant took hold of the complainant’s partner’s breast as she was sat on the sofa.

“She made a joke of it, but Mr Brearley became angry and he and Mr Chell began to argue.

“The partner tried to calm both men down, but then left the flat and went home. Mr Brearley was unaware of this at that stage. The defendant also went back to his flat.

“When the complainant realised his partner had gone, he went to look for her at the defendant’s flat. The pair argued again, and the argument became physical. Mr Brearley was initially the aggressor.”

Mr Bennett said a witness then saw the defendant straddling Mr Brearley as he lay on the floor, and hitting him on the back of the head with a dog bone. He then dragged him on to the landing outside his flat and knocked on a neighbour’s door to show him what he’d done.

The court heard that the force of the blows to the head was so strong that blood was “splattered” on the walls of the flat.

Defending Chell, who has 19 previous convictions for offences including possession of a bladed article, battery and threatening behaviour, Peter Cooper said: “This happened in his home, and it happened most unfortunately after he had done the right thing and withdrawn from the flat where matters had become heated.

“At that point, matters were over and should have remained over.

“After the defendant had been pushed by Mr Brearley, he accepts he lost it and grabbed the nearest thing after Mr Brearley had gone to the floor. It’s a matter of huge regret that he has caused such serious injuries to someone he regarded as a friend.”

Judge Glenn agreed Mr Brearley was the initial aggressor and had entered Chell’s flat uninvited.

He added: “But that does not justify your response.

“You inflicted serious injuries to Mr Brearley. It’s plain from photographs I have seen that he bled heavily and will be left with permanent scars.

“You sat astride him as you hit him, and a witness said she thought you were going to kill him. And you finished off by dragging him to the landing and dumping him there.”

Stoke Sentinel

From January 2009

Throat-cutter given ten year extended jail term for ‘unprovoked’ attack with Stanley Knife

By
June 26, 2014
assault, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Racial Conviction, Uncategorized
Throat cut attacker David Lawler.

Throat cut attacker David Lawler.

A GATECRASHER who seized a party goer in a headlock and slashed his throat with a Stanley knife has been sentenced to a ten year extended prison sentence.

David Lawler, who was branded dangerous and unstable, must serve a seven and a half year jail term before completing two and a half years on closely supervised licence.

He was convicted by a jury of cutting Benjamin Hanslip right across the front of his throat in an unprovoked attack that left the young man with a 12cm gash needing 12 stitches.

Lawler, 31, of Mallard Court, Lower Grange, Bradford, had a troubling history of violence, with convictions for possession of a bladed article, robbery, assault and violent disorder, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, ruled that he posed a serious risk to the public after hearing he suffered from depression, anxiety and panic attacks, aggravated by excessive drinking.

Prosecutor David Hall said Lawler turned up uninvited at a flat in Crag Road, Windhill, Shipley, late on September 1, 2012.

He was drinking lager at 2am when he suddenly sprang at Mr Hanslip, grabbed him round the neck and cut his throat with a Stanley knife he seized from a nearby shelf.

Lawler was arrested after he was traced by DNA evidence he left on a lager can.

He denied the offence but was found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Since the attack, Lawler had served a 13 month jail sentence for violent disorder at an English Defence League demonstration.

He was banned from any EDL gathering after joining with five other men in “sustained, unprovoked racist violence”.

Lawler’s string of convictions began with possession of a butterfly knife when he was a youth.

In 2001, he was locked up for robbery and in 2005 he was cautioned by the police for making a threat to kill his partner.

Judge Thomas said it was “extraordinary” he was let off so lightly for arming himself with a knife while in drink while his partner locked herself in the bedroom.

Lawler’s barrister, Austin Newman, said he was ashamed of what he had done to Mr Hanslip.

“It may be fortuitous but the injury was not the most serious example of its type. So far as we know, no damage was done to the underlying structures to the throat or neck. The victim made a relatively quick and good recovery,” Mr Newman said.

Judge Thomas told Lawler: “You could so easily have killed Benjamin Hanslip. You caused him a superficial wound but what you did was draw a blade right across the front of his throat. It was a very nasty wound indeed on any view of it.”

There was “no rhyme or reason whatsoever” for the attack.

After the case, Detective Constable Paul Maxwell, of Bradford District CID, said: “Lawler’s actions were totally unprovoked and caused his victim to lose a lot of blood. We hope the sentence passed down today will send out a warning to others that violent crime will not be tolerated in West Yorkshire.”

Telegraph & Argus

You can find the report of his previous conviction here

Wifebeater thug jailed for headbutting ex-lover was known activist for Scottish Defence League hate group

By
June 23, 2014
Jailed, Uncategorized

PREVIOUS convictions for violence didn’t deter David Knowles, 42, from headbutting and punching his former girlfriend at her flat in Leith, Edinburgh.

Wife beater David Knowles (R) at a Scottish Defence League Rally in Dundee last September

Wife beater David Knowles (R) at a Scottish Defence League Rally in Dundee last September

A PROMINENT activist in the far-right Scottish Defence League has been jailed for nine months for beating up a woman.

David “Pod” Knowles, 42, headbutted former girlfriend Suzanne Sime and repeatedly punched her on the head and body.

He had a series of arguments with Suzanne over the phone before the late-night attack at her flat in Leith, Edinburgh.

Knowles, a regular at SDL rallies around Scotland, has previous convictions for violence.

He denied attacking Suzanne, forcing her to go to court to testify against him, but was convicted last week.

Knowles dated Suzanne as a teenager and attacked her after getting back in touch with her through Facebook.

She said: “He’d hit me before. He promised he wouldn’t do it again, then this took place.

“It felt like it lasted for hours but it was probably only 10 to 15 minutes.

“I had bruises all over me, including on my arms as he pinned me down, and he left a scar on my nose. My rib cage was killing me.

“But yet when the case came to court he constantly pled not guilty. The lies he came out with were disgusting. He tried to make out I was paralytic drunk.”

Shop worker Suzanne believes Knowles should have got a longer sentence. She said: “I wish I’d never got involved with him again.

“Initially, I thought, ‘Great, I haven’t seen him for years, I wonder how he’s getting on?’ You only start hearing all the stories after something like this happens.”

She added: “He was always going off to SDL protests. But while the SDL guys say they would never hit a woman, they are just hypocrites.”

Daily Record