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Tipu’s killer set for new jail term after claiming to be Tup Tup Palace shooter

By
August 21, 2018
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Michael McDougall.

Michael McDougall.

A killer who murdered a takeaway boss has been found guilty of perverting the course of justice after claiming to be a gunman responsible for a nightclub shooting.

Michael McDougall, 50, previously of Hylton Avenue, Marsden, South Shields and now an inmate of HMP Wakefield, has been found guilty of the charge following a trial at the Old Bailey in London.

The offence relates to a drive-by shooting outside Tup Tup Palace in Newcastle, on June 6, 2015.

A 24-year-old doorman was shot in the arm when a gunman on a motorbike opened fire using a sawn-off shotgun.

McDougall was jailed for a life sentence of 34 years in April 2016 after he was found guilty of shooting Sunderland dad-of-two Tipu Sultan.

The 32-year-old businessman had run the Herbs & Spice Kitchen takeaway in Lake Avenue, Marsden, South Shields, with his family.

McDougall was also found guilty of two charges of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

His co-accused Michael Mullen, 24, of Hawthorne Avenue, Cleadon Park, South Shields, who had taken McDougall to and from the murder scene on the back of a motorbike, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter.

He was jailed for 12 years.

Just weeks after he was jailed McDougall launched an appeal against his conviction, which was denied by a judge.

Today, McDougall was found guilty of perverting the justice over a false statement made in 2017 as part of the inquiry into the Tup Tup incident.

The court heard the convicted murderer told “a pack of lies” by trying to claim he was the gunman, jurors heard.

He was jointly charged and stood trial alongside John Henry Sayers, 54, of Fossway, Walker, Newcastle, and Michael Dixon, 50, of no fixed address, who were accused of conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to possess a firearm.

Sayers, a well-known hard man, has been cleared of ordering the ride-by shooting of a bouncer because his son had been thrown out of a nightclub, but has been told he still faces a prison term for perverting the course of justice.

The court heard doorman Matthew McCauley was lucky to survive the shooting, which also left two other members of staff injured.

Sayers was accused of ordering Dixon to carry out the shooting after his son was ejected from the club weeks before.

An Old Bailey jury deliberated for more than 30 hours to find Sayers and Dixon, both from Walker in Newcastle, not guilty of conspiracy to murder.

The pair gave audible sighs of relief in the dock as they were cleared of the offence.

Sayers was also acquitted of conspiring to possess a shotgun with intent to endanger life, while Dixon was found guilty by a majority of 11 to one.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC told serving prisoner Dixon he would take into account that he had already been convicted of another offence committed around the same time.

A fourth defendant – Russell Sturman, 26, from Gosforth, Newcastle – hugged his co-accused in the dock after being cleared of assisting an offender.

Before the trial started, there had been an unsuccessful application by the prosecution to try the case without a jury and it was held well away from Sayers’ home turf in the North East.

Sayers had already been cleared of ordering another murder – the doorstep shooting of a man in 2000 – and subsequently cleared of nobbling the Leeds jury in that case.

However, he is a convicted armed robber and tax-evader and said to be a name to be feared on Tyneside.

Sayers’ son had been thrown out of the trendy Tup Tup Palace and was punched by a doorman weeks earlier.

Prosecutor Simon Denison QC said Sayers had “acquired and promoted a reputation”, and he wouldn’t allow his name to be “disrespected”.

Sayers’ reputation “as a man to be feared” meant “doors are opened for his family”, he added.

“Of course, that only lasts as long as the reputation is believed to be justified – which means that if his family is disrespected, violence has to follow.”

The family was given free entry to clubs without having to queue and free access to VIP areas “just to avoid serious trouble”.

The convicted defendants were remanded into custody to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, September 21.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “This case was thoroughly investigated by a team of dedicated detectives.

“The evidence was subjected to careful scrutiny before a decision was taken to charge and it was only right that this evidence was put in front of a jury.

“We respect the decision the jury has made.”

Sunderland Echo

Michael McDougall was convicted of murder in 2016 and details of that murder can be found here

Man ordered to keep dog muzzled

By
August 3, 2018
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A MAN has been told to keep his bulldog muzzled after it attacked a spaniel in the Coppergate Centre.

Sam Rogers, prosecuting, said David Tysall and his wife were out shopping with their cocker spaniel Larry when they saw a white and brown dog run up to it, leap on to its back, pin it to the ground and grip the back of its neck.

A group of people, including the attacking dog’s owner, ran up and pulled it off.

Mr Tysall told the owner: “Your dog tried to kill mine.”

Ms Rogers told York magistrates when Mr Tysall said he would phone the police the owner “became quite aggressive towards him, appearing to be drunk. It made the situation worse.”

Andrew John Waterson, of Hardisty Mews, off Leeman Road, York, admitted not keeping his dog under proper control, theft of alcohol, theft of £7.95 of food from the Spar store in Lowther Street on April 8, and obstructing police.

Ms Rogers said in separate incidents on the same day, Waterson had stolen alcohol from the Spar store on Heslington Road and struggled when police arrested him at 9.50pm on Walmgate for aggressive behaviour.

Waterson was ordered to do 12 months’ supervision, including work on controlling his drinking, 100 hours’ unpaid work, to pay £7.95 compensation to the Spar shop in Lowther Street, and to pay £85 prosecution costs. In addition to the muzzle order he was ordered to keep his dog on a lead within the city’s Bar Walls.

His solicitor, Martin Hawes, said Waterson’s dog Tofu had been on a lead in Coppergate Centre on April 27, but it had snapped when it pulled on it.

Tofu was an “Irish breed bull dog”, not a pit bull terrier, and was very good with people. However, it didn’t get on with other dogs. It had not gone for the front of the spaniel’s neck. He had since bought a muzzle for the dog.

Waterson had depression and drank to cope with emotional family issues he was facing. He had a damaged right arm and the police had caused pain when they grabbed it to arrest him.

York Press

Two men have been convicted of being drunk and disorderly in Tunbridge Wells after an England World Cup game

By
July 27, 2018
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Freddie Farnie, 25, and Karl Laslett, 24, were arrested for separate incidents

Two men have been convicted of being drunk and disorderly in Tunbridge Wells after England’s World Cup quarter-final win over Sweden.

Freddie Farnie, 25, and Karl Laslett, 24, were arrested for separate incidents in the town centre on July 7.

Both men were unrepresented when they appeared before Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (July 24).

Fruit farm worker Farnie, of Holmewood Road in High Brooms, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place, as well as causing criminal damage to a property valued under £5,000.

Prosecution

Prosecuting, Debbie Jones, said: “On 7th July at 5pm, officers were deployed in Tunbridge Wells town centre to deal with any public order incidents, as there was World Cup football on.”

Officers were stationed outside the Opera House, when 10 people walked out.

Ms. Jones continued: “One was the defendant and he was standing in the road. He was asked to move and said ‘I can do what I f****** want, it’s a free country.'”

‘You can’t touch me’

Farnie reportedly also approached an officer and said: “You can’t touch me, that’s f****** assault,” before being pulled away by friends when police asked him to move.

Ms Jones continued: “He stood in the road shouting at another officer. The officer approached with the intention of arresting him but he ran off.”

A short while later, Farnie had made his way to The Barn on Mount Pleasant Road, where he was abusive to members of staff before being spotted hot-footing it back up the hill in the direction of the Trinity Theatre, the court heard.

The arrest

Ms Jones added: “Police made their way to York Road and detained the defendant and arrested him for being drunk and disorderly.”

While in his cell at Tonbridge police station in the early hours of July 8, the court heard how Farnie spat on the wall and at the CCTV camera, as well as tearing up the reading material and flushing it down the toilet.

Regarding his behaviour that evening, Farnie said: “It was a one off on that day because of the football. I used to have a few problems a few years ago but I’ve grown up a bit. It was just a bad day.”

Conditional discharge

Sentencing, magistrate Abigail Brennan said: “We are going to make a conditional discharge for 12 months. If you commit any offence, however, I will stress, any offence, then you will be brought back to court and not only with that offence but this will be put back again.

“You are required to pay £80 for a deep clean [of the cell], together with a victim surcharge of £20, plus £85 costs.”

Laslett

Also on that Saturday afternoon, Laslett, a labourer, who lives on Grange Road, was outside The Rose and Crown pub on Grosvenor Road.

Police attended the pub after they became aware of an altercation involving a group of males in the street.

Prosecuting, Debbie Jones said: “[Members of staff] went outside and informed police that [Laslett] had been refused service and been asked to leave.

“He said he was upset about being asked to leave, as he was banned from everywhere else in town.”

She added: “He went to the opera house [Wetherspoon’s] and caused further problems.

“At that point, the officers made the decision to arrest him.”

‘I wasn’t that drunk’

Laslett, who pleaded guilty to the charge of being drunk and disorderly, said: “To be fair I wasn’t that drunk because I was only in the cell for four hours.

“If I was that bad don’t you think I would have been in overnight?”

He added: “It was the World Cup on so there was around 1,000 people in town doing as I was and they chose me. That’s my luck isn’t it?”

Sentencing, Magistrate Brennan said: “We’re going to deal with this by way of a fine. The fine will be £160. You must pay costs of £85 and the victim surcharge will be £35.”

Kent Live

Man pleads guilty to swastika graffiti and arson charges in Newport

By
July 12, 2018
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A MAN who spray-painted swastikas around the city and set fire to buildings including a school and a church over the course of a month has pleaded guilty to all charges.

Austin Ross, 23, of Romney Close in Newport, pleaded guilty to 15 counts in total at a brief hearing in Cardiff Crown Court today.

The charges relate to a series of swastikas and racially aggravated graffiti and two arson attacks in Newport between May 2 and May 31 this year.

Two swastikas appeared on a wall and post at the University of South Wales building in Newport city centre during the late May bank holiday weekend.

Alongside one of the swastikas was a message apparently written in support of far right activist Tommy Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who co-founded the English Defence League.

Today, Ross admitted nine counts of causing racially aggravated damage to property.

He owned up to damaging the windows of the Riverfront Theatre in the city centre on May 3, the front door of the Bethel Baptist Church in Bassaleg and a school sign belonging to Maindee Primary School on May 4, as well as a footbridge belonging to Newport City Council on May 5.

Ross also targeted Maindee Primary school a second time on May 28, the Gwent Probation Service building on Lower Dock Street between May 27 and May 31, the University of South Wales Newport campus and the walls of the Masonic Hall on May 28.

Four other counts of racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress were admitted by Ross between May 2 and May 5.

The charges read out in court noted his actions were based on the membership or perceived membership of a particular racial group.

He also admitted two counts of arson, setting fire to the front doors and hallway of the Masonic Hall in Lower Dock Street on May 28 and destroying a classroom at Bassaleg secondary school on May 29.

Judge Eleri Rees, addressing Ross’ legal representative Harry Baker, warned that the defendant was “not helping himself” by refusing to cooperate, and added she would order a psychiatric assessment before sentencing.

“A more sinister interpretation can be put on his behaviour because he has not explained his actions,” said Judge Rees.

“It does make it difficult for anybody to second guess that there might be a background that could help explain this.

“He doesn’t help himself in that way.

“I’m going to order a psychiatric assessment and we will set up a time table for sentencing.”

Addressing the defendant, Judge Rees added: “I would encourage you to try to cooperate and reflect upon what could be of assistance to you.”

Ross will now appear in court on August 21 for sentencing.

South Wales Argus.

EDL supporter called Darlington police officer a ‘f****** P*** b******’

By
July 6, 2018
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A MAN drank 12 pints of cider and called an Asian police officer “a f****** P*** b******” before yelling “I am EDL” in Darlington’s police cells.

Thomas Mason also shouted out in support of imprisoned far-right activist Tommy Robinson after being arrested for being drunk and disorderly following an evening in the town’s Tubwell Tap public house on June 2.

But it was his language towards an ethnic minority police officer which earned him a more serious charge.

The 35-year-old, from South Kirby, Pontefract, appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe yesterday and pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly, and a racially-aggravated public order offence.

Lorna Rimell, prosecuting, said: “Police were called by the door staff at the Tubwell Tap.

“The defendant was in a state of intoxication. Police approached him and he told them to f*** off and said ‘I f****** love England’.

“He was warned three times about his abusive behaviour and language and he told them again to f*** off.

“He was arrested and taken to the police station where he met the PC. The defendant spoke to him in a mocking tone.

“He then said you f***** P*** b****, I am EDL.

“He was chanting EDL, EDL, EDL and also ‘Tommy Robinson’.”

Once he had sobered up Mason, a forklift truck driver, told police he had drunk 12 or more pints of cider and had only a vague recollection of events.

“He said he doesn’t consider himself to be racist,” said Ms Rimell.

“He said he was disgusted when told about his actions.”

The court heard that Mason visited Darlington to offer support to a friend who was going through a difficult time and accepted he had become ‘completely intoxicated’.

Darren Brown, mitigating on behalf of Mason, said the defendant had very recently come out of a 12-year relationship and had two young children aged one and four, and had been drinking as things had started to get on top of him.

He had been using alcohol as a way to deal with emotional trauma, the court heard, and now had to regret the night he spent in a police cell.

Mr Brown added: “He states that he is not a racist person and has no idea why he would say such things. He also doesn’t usually drink because he works nights.”

Magistrates said had the case not been racially motivated it would be been considered a a far more minor offence.

Mason was handed a £300 fine, ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Northern Echo

Horrific: Thug bites part of man’s eyebrow off outside Newcastle takeaway

By
June 15, 2018
Uncategorized

Michael Sancaster sank his teeth into the face of a 24-year-old man in Newcastle city centre during an altercation

Michael Sancaster who bit off part of a man's eyebrow in a city centre attack (Image: Northumbria Police)

Michael Sancaster who bit off part of a man’s eyebrow in a city centre attack (Image: Northumbria Police)

These are the horrific injuries a man suffered when a thug bit off part of his eyebrow in a city centre attack outside a takeaway.

Violent Michael Sancaster, 33, was drinking alone at the Eazy Street bar but was thrown out after he began to bother a woman on a hen party.

He decided to go to the Magic Flame takeaway following the incident where he then got into an argument with a 24-year-old man.

Sancaster became involved in a physical altercation but was thrown out by takeaway staff before the situation escalated.

However, he lay in wait for his victim outside the takeaway and 20 minutes later approached him to offer a reconciliatory handshake.

The man went to shake his hand only for Sancaster to shout “kidding”, before punching the man in the face and wrestling him to the ground.

A court heard how a fight then ensued during which the violent thug sunk his teeth into the eyebrow of his victim and ripped out a chunk of it.

The injury inflicted by Michael Sancaster when he bit part of a man's eyebrow in a city centre attack (Image: NCJ Media)

The injury inflicted by Michael Sancaster when he bit part of a man’s eyebrow in a city centre attack (Image: NCJ Media)

Friends of the victim flagged down a passing police car who quickly attended the scene and Sancaster, of Marshall Street, Sunderland, was arrested.

His shocked victim was left with blood pouring from the gaping three-inch wound that required stitches in hospital.

Sancaster later admitted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and he was jailed for 40 months at Newcastle Crown Court.

Following the case, investigating officer Detective Constable Matt Murray branded Sancaster a “dangerous offender” who deserved to spend time behind bars.

He said: “Michael Sancaster had found himself alone in a bar in the hours before the attack and in my opinion was looking for a fight.

“He had been thrown out of a bar for bothering a hen party and was angry when he made his way to the Magic Flame takeaway.

“There he came upon his victim and his group of friends. He tried to start a fight but they were not interested in engaging with him.

“Instead he waited outside the takeaway and sucker-punched his victim at the same time as they were trying to make peace.

“This was an unprovoked attack that ended up with Sancaster tearing out a piece of his victim’s eyebrow with his teeth.

“It is a violent assault by someone that I would describe as a dangerous offender.

“I am glad to see him handed a lengthy custodial sentence.”

Newcastle Chronicle

Why Tommy Robinson was jailed over Facebook rant outside Leeds Crown Court

By
May 29, 2018
Uncategorized
Tommy Robinson outside Leeds Crown Court. A screengrab from a video taken of Robinson as he was arrested by police.

Tommy Robinson outside Leeds Crown Court. A screengrab from a video taken of Robinson as he was arrested by police.

The founder of the English Defence League has been jailed over comments made on camera outside Leeds Crown Court which had the potential to de-rail a long running trial.

Tommy Robinson filmed himself during an hour-long rant outside the court building which he streamed on Facebook Live and was viewed a quarter of a million times

A judge who locked the right wing activist up for 13 months for contempt of court told him his actions may cause the sensitive case to be abandoned.

The court heard it could cost taxpayers “hundreds and hundreds of thousands of pounds” if a re-trial has to be held.

A strict order is currently in place temporarily banning publication or broadcasting details of the long-running case or anyone involved.

Media will be able to reveal details of the case later this year.

The Yorkshire Evening Post can now reveal details of Robinson’s sentencing hearing which took place last Friday.

Robinson, of Oakley Rise, Wilstead, Bedford, was arrested after naming defendants in the case, the charges they face and details of the allegations.

He also filmed defendants and confronted them as they were entering the building on Oxford Row.

The 35-year-old was held in the court cells before being taken into the court to face trial judge Geroffrey Marson, QC.

The judge explained why Robinson’s actions had been in contempt of court.

He said the order had been made to ensure the “integrity” of the case.

The judge said: “Nothing may occur which will prejudice the trial.”

He added: “He was expressing his views. Everyone understands the right to freedom of speech but there are responsibilities and obligations.”

The video footage was played to the judge in court before he dealt with Robinson.

He said: “He was approximate to where defendants go in and approximate to where jurors go in.

“He was making a video. He was referring to this case.

“He referred to the charges that the defendants faced and some charges which are not proceeded against in relation to some defendants.”

The court heard the footage had received 250,000 views and a story about Robinson’s arrest was the lead article on a national newspaper website.

Judge Marson said: “Not only was it a very long video but I regard it as a serious aggravating feature that he was encouraging others to share it and it had been shared widely.

“That is the nature of the contempt.”

Yorkshire Post

Tommy Robinson jailed after breaking contempt of court laws

By
May 29, 2018
Uncategorized

Tommy Robinson has been jailed for 13 months for breaking contempt of court laws.

His sentence can be revealed for the first time after The Independent and other media outlets fought a reporting restriction put on the case at Leeds Crown Court.

Robinson, whose real name was listed on court documents as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was arrested outside the court on Friday.

He admitted committing contempt of court by publishing information that could prejudice an ongoing trial.

The 35-year-old was already subject to a suspended sentence for committing contempt during a rape trial in Canterbury last year, and had been told that if he fell foul of the law again he would go to prison.

The Independent

20 years for Barnsley paedophile who raped children after buying them sweets

By
May 28, 2018
Uncategorized
James Swindlehurst

James Swindlehurst


A ‘HORRIFIC’ South Yorkshire paedophile who raped two vulnerable young children after buying them sweets has been jailed for 20 years.

James Andrew Swindlehurst, 43, of Rockingham Street, Honeywell, Barnsley was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court after being found guilty of 13 non-recent counts of rape and indecent assault of a child.

Swindlehurst denied the offences against two victims that spanned a five-year period during the 1990s and 2000s.

He was found guilty by a jury following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court in October.

Detective Constable Elinor Duke, leading the investigation, said: “This man took advantage of the fact that the children were vulnerable.

“He gained their trust by building a friendship with them and making them feel ‘needed’.

“He would buy them sweets and take them out before carrying out a prolonged period of sexual abuse, telling them that there was no point telling anyone as nobody would believe them.”

The victims made a disclosure to police in April 2014 and Swindlehurst was arrested and a full investigation was carried out.

DC Duke added: “The bravery that the victims have shown in coming forward is exceptional.

“They did it with the motivation to prevent Swindlehurst hurting any other children.

“It is testament to the courage of the victims that he is now facing 20 years behind bars and I hope today’s sentencing sends a message that we will take action and catch those responsible for such horrific acts.”

Yorkshire Post

Bacon mosque attacker Kevin Crehan died in Bristol Prison after drug overdose

By
May 24, 2018
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An inquest date has been set after Crehan died five months into a year-long jail sentence

A prisoner who was serving time for putting bacon on the door handles of a Bristol mosque died after a drug overdose, it has been revealed.

Kevin ‘Bunny’ Crehan was five-months into his year-long sentence in Horfield Prison when he was discovered dead in his cell.

Emergency services were called to the prison on December 27, 2016 after he was found unresponsive.

Files from the police and a post-mortem report have now been completed after several pre-inquest reviews.

A full inquest will begin on Monday, December 3, and is expected to last more than two weeks.

That means it will be nearly two years before his family finds out how the 35-year-old from Knowle West came by his death.

A post mortem examination heard he had died of a suspected overdose of methadone, a common drug used as a strong painkiller and as a substitute for heroin.

The court was told he had been admitted to hospital while serving his term following a drug overdose.

After he recovered, he was sent back behind bars, but was found dead in his cell shortly after.

A police investigation has now been completed, and they are not treating it as suspicious at this time.

Why was he in prison?

Crehan had been jailed in July 2016 after pleading guilty to an attack on the Jamia mosque in Totterdown in January 2016.

The ‘protest’ saw bacon being placed on door handles, a St George flag tied to the fence and abuse shouted at two elderly people.

Together with three others, the far-right group were charged in court.

Crehan was jailed for a year while Mark Bennett, 48, from Patchway, was sentenced to nine months in prison.

His wife, Alison, 46, was given a six-month suspended sentence for her involvement and Angela Swales, 31, from Brislington, was given a four-month suspended jail term.

The judge who jailed Crehan said he had taken into account the 35-year-old’s history of convictions, including football-related violence.

The group has also been given restraining orders banning them from going within 100 metres of a mosque anywhere in England or Wales for 10 years.

In his summing up, Judge Julian Lambert called it “an attack on England and the principles of freedom of religion”.

Since Crehan died nearly 18 months ago, there has been mounting speculation about the circumstances surrounding his death.

And while police dismissed it as “not suspicious”, it has not stopped several groups of people coming to Bristol to protest his death and sentence.

The latest march took place in Bristol at the end of last month, with dozens joining the ‘Gays against Sharia’ march near Temple Meads.

The Prison and Probation Ombudsman has confirmed a report into Crehan’s death has been concluded and passed to the coroner, although that is not expected to be made public until after the inquest.

Sitting in front of Avon’s senior coroner Maria Voisin, the inquest will look into the circumstances surrounding Crehan’s death, including how and why he died.

Bristol Post